Research Interests

Dr. Griswold's research relates to the systematics, biogeography, and biodiversity of native bees in support of the research unit's efforts to diversify available crop pollinators and conserve pollinator populations.  Systematics research focuses on Megachilidae, the family with the greatest potential for manageable pollinators.  Biodiversity and biogeography research, in collaboration with Federal land managers, provides the opportunity to develop an understanding of floral preferences among bees and spatial patterns in bee communities while providing managers with inventories and baseline data for monitoring pollinators.  Faunal studies have been conducted in nine National Parks and Monuments.  Responsibilities also include curation of the U.S. National Pollinating Insects Collection, a worldwide collection ov over a million specimens, and the associated specimen database and reprint collection.

Current activities include:

• NSF funded research with Bryan Danforth, Cornell University and post-doc Victor Gonzalez on phylogenetic relationships in the family and within the diverse tribe Anthidiini (carder and resin bees) and revisions of anthidiine genera
• A revision of Nearctic Osmia led by post-doc Molly Rightmyer will result in the ability to recognize the 150 or more species of these important pollinators
• A study of the effect of fire on bee populations across habitats in Zion National Park