Contact
Email
Location
301A Holdsworth

Primary Interests

My current research addresses ecology of native bees in natural and agricultural systems. I am interested in the major stressors on health and how these interact, with a focus on pathogens, pollen and nectar sources, plus impacts of landuse and exposure to pesticides. I am carrying out long-term surveys of native pollinators to assess changes in diversity and abundance, particularly bumble bee species. I am also interested in fundamental and applied aspects of insect-plant interactions, especially those that can inform biointensive, reduced-risk management strategies for pests and conservation of beneficial species.

Recent Publications

A.L. Averill, B.D. Eitzer and F.A. Drummond. Development of a baseline and comparison of honey bee exposure to pesticides in two native North American crops: lowbush blueberry and cranberry. Submitted to: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 

 F.A. Drummond, A. L. Averill, and B. D. Eitzer.. Comparison of flower, honey bee worker, and native bee contamination by pesticides detected in a native North American crop: lowbush blueberry. Submitted to: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 

 Averill, A.L., Couto, A.V., Andersen, J.C., and Elkinton, J.S., 2021. Parasite prevalence may drive the biotic impoverishment of New England (USA) bumble bee communities. Insects, 12(10): 941-951.  

 Rodriguez-Saona, C., H.T. Alborn, C. Ochlschlager, V. Kyryczenko, S. Tewari, M.M. Sylvia and A.L. Averill. 2020. Fine-tuning the composition of the cranberry weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) aggregation pheromone. J. Applied Entomology 00:1-5.https://doi.org/10.111/jen.12752 

Dibble, A.C. F.A. Drummond, A.L. Averill et al. 2018. Bees and their habitats in four New England states. Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station. Misc. Report 448. 50pp.

Hoshide, A.K., F.A. Drummond, T.H. Stevens, E.M. Venturini, S.P. Hanes, M.M. Sylvia, C.S. Loftin, D.E. Yarborough and A.L. Averill. 2018. What is the value of wild bee pollination for wild blueberries and cranberries, and who values it? Environments 5, 98 doi:10:3390/environments5090098.

Averill, A.L., M.M. Sylvia, N. Hahn, and A.V. Couto. 2018. Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) foraging on American Cranberry in Massachusetts. Northeastern Naturalist 25: 502-512.

Xu, G., E. Palmer-Young, K. Skrym, M.M. Sylvia, A.L. Averill and S.M Rich. 2017. Triplex real-time PCR for detection of Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim in honey bees. Parasitology Research doi.org/10.1007/s00436-017-5733-2

Suni, S.S., Z. Scott, A. Averill, and A. Whitely. 2017. Population genetics of wild and managed pollinators: implications for crop pollination and the genetic integrity of wild bees. Conservation Genetics 10.1007/s10592-017-0955-5

Polashock, J.J., F.L. Caruso, A.L. Averill, and A.C. Schilder (eds). 2017. Compendium of Blueberry, Cranberry, and Lingonberry Diseases and Pests, 2nd edition. APS Press, St. Paul, MN. 231 pp

Sandler, H.A., C.J. DeMoranville, F.L. Caruso, M.M. Sylvia, A.L.Averill, and J.Vanden Heuvel. 2014.Increasing sustainability of Massachusetts cranberry production through cultural management of the vine canopy. Acta Horticulturae 1017: 479-485.

Tewari, S., J.P. Buonaccorsi, and A.L. Averill. 2014.  Developing fruit inhibit the regrowth of cranberry shoots after apical meristem injury by larvae of Dasineura oxycoccana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae).  Canadian Entomologist: 154: 1-9.

Medina, R.F., Z. Szendrei, K. Harrison, R. Isaacs, A. Averill, E.A. Malo, and C. Rodriguez-Saona. 2014.  Exploring host-associated differentiation in the North American native cranberry fruitworm, Acrobasis vaccinii (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), from blueberries and cranberries. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 150: 136-148.

Tewari, S., J.P. Buonaccorsi, and A.L. Averill. 2014.  Physiological integration plays key role in cranberry (Ericale: Ericaceae) for  tolerance of damage by Dasineura oxycoccana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Environmental Entomology 43: 75-82.

Tewari, S. J.P. Buonaccorsi, and A. L. Averill. 2013. Impact of early-season apical meristem injury by gall-inducing tipworm (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on reproductive and vegetative growth of cranberry. J. Economic Entomology 106: 1339-1348.

Tewari, S. and A. L. Averill. 2012. Injury to apical meristem of cranberry by Dasineura oxycoccana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) reduces floral-units in the next growing season. J. Economic Entomology 105: 1366-1378.

Averill, A.L. 2011. Nest location in bumble bees: effect of landscape and insecticides.  American Bee Journal 151 (12): 1187-1190

Morkeski, A. and A.L. Averill. 2010.  Wild bee status and evidence for pathogen spillover with honey bees.  American Bee Journal 150 (11): 1049-1052.

Szendrei, S., A.L. Averill, H. Alborn, C. Rodriguez-Saona. 2011.  Identification and field evaluation of semiochemically-based attractants for the cranberry weevil, Anthonomus musculus Say (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).  J. Chemical Ecology 37: 387-397

Welch, A., F. Drummond, S. Tewari,  A.L. Averill, J.P. Burand.  2009. Presence and prevalence of viruses in local and migratory honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Massachusetts.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75(24): 7862-7865