Residence United States Role Biologist Citizenship American | Doctoral advisor Bill Wilson Name Jeffery Pettis Ex-spouse Marianne Pettis | |
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Born February 8, 1955 (age 69) United States ( 1955-02-08 ) Institutions USDA Beltsville Bee Laboratory, Beltsville, MD Alma mater University of Georgia, BSA 1982, MS 1985Texas A&M, PhD, 1991 Thesis Tracheal Mite, Acarapis Woodi (Rennie) Biology and Ecology in the Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L. (1991) | ||
Jeffery pettis the role of pesticides in declining pollinator health
Jeffery Stuart Pettis is an American born biologist and entomologist known for his extensive research on honeybee behavior. He is currently the research leader at the United States Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Bee Laboratory (BBL). His research has led to significant breakthroughs in understanding and managing CCD, a primary cause of North American bee population decline. He is also known for discovering with Dennis vanEngelsdorp of Pennsylvania State University the ability of bees to detect pesticides and harmful fungi in collected pollen and subsequently quarantine the harmful substances from the rest of the hive. His research has also studied the synergistic effects of Imidacloprid on bees, an insecticide derived from nicotine which has been shown to contribute to CCD.