Features

Like setting off alarms in a beehive, Asian honeybees use complex signals to alert nest mates about giant hornet attacks, according to a new study co-led by University of Guelph researchers.

The study shows that honeybees recognize and respond to different types of hornets using several signals, a kind of alert system that is better known among social mammals and birds, said Dr. Gard Otis, professor emeritus in the School of Environmental Sciences within U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College.

The announcement that dairy prices are set to rise eight percent on Feb. 1, has made headlines and even prompted calls for more transparency on how prices are set, but a University of Guelph food economist says other foods could rise even further; we just won’t be warned.

Dan Borges' passion for insects and entomology started at a young age. He continues to make a positive impact on the lives of beekeepers, farmers, and other industry partners working with the Ontario Beekeepers' Association (OBA). We recently chatted with him to learn more about his role and experience at the University of Guelph.

Jared Stoochnoff is a graduate student in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES). His research takes place in the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF) under the supervision of Dr. Mike Dixon and Dr. Thomas Graham, professors in SES.

More than 100 world leaders attending the COP26 climate summit have promised to end deforestation by 2030 — a goal that one University of Guelph ecologist says is promising but one that will be challenging to achieve.

Dr. Madhur Anand is an environmental science in the Ontario Agriculture College and the director of the Guelph Institute for Environmental Research (GIER). She says the goal of halting forest destruction will be difficult given that what drives it is a growing global population, agriculture and increasing per capita food consumption.

A new University of Guelph-designed material for surgical mask filters could offer a more breathable and sustainable alternative to traditional surgical masks.

Dr. Loong-Tak Lim , a food science professor in the Ontario Agricultural College, and graduate student Singam Suranjoy Singh have made a non-woven surgical mask filter from plant cellulose. The mask’s biodegradable filter was designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Originally hailing from New York, Louis Colaruotolo accepted a PhD opportunity in food science with Dr. Maria Corradini, associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Arrell Chair in Food Quality.

After working as a biologist on the west coast for 10 years, Janean Sharkey, a graduate student in the School of Environmental Sciences, decided to return to Ontario and pursue research of native bees in prairie grasslands.

“I’m looking at native bee communities in tallgrass prairie and oak savanna, which is a rare habitat type in Southern Ontario and how habitat management influences bee communities there,” says Janean, who is a member of Dr. Nigel Raine’s lab.

Victoria Awad is a recent food science graduate. She landed her dream job right out of university and now works as a meat inspector for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).  We recently chatted with her to learn more about her role and experience at the University of Guelph.

Wearing gloves while shopping and wiping down food packaging at home may be unnecessary, as new University of Guelph research suggests the chances of getting infected with COVID-19 from grocery store surfaces are very low.

A team of U of G scientists, who swabbed hundreds of high-contact surfaces in grocery stores, found that none tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

No surface location harboured SARS-CoV-2, from a payment station and a deli counter to the refrigerated food section or the carts and baskets.