Aramee Diethelm, Ph.D

In September, I was invited to give a Biology Department seminar at the University of San Francisco on my postdoctoral research on western monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). My talk, “Breaking an eastern paradigm: Breeding ecology of western monarch butterflies,” focused on how monarchs spread back across the western United States to breed each spring and summer, a surprisingly unresolved part of their annual cycle. This work is part of a long-term collaboration among re

For herbivores, the effects of predators extend beyond direct predation. The risk of predation alone can change how an animal feeds, grows, and develops. For plant-feeding insects, those effects may also depend on the plant itself. In our recent study in Ecological Entomology, we asked how predation risk and milkweed species interact to shape monarch caterpillar development. Using an outdoor common garden experiment over two growing seasons, we raised monarch caterpillars on

I spent a day at the Bohart Museum of Entomology for an outreach event all about bees, wasps, and the many insects that imitate their warning signals. Public interest in pollinators has grown in recent years, but most people are familiar with only a narrow slice of the diversity of invertebrates and the ecosystem services they provide. At my flip-station, visitors guessed whether an insect could sting or pollinate, then flipped the card to test their knowledge. Hoverflies

This summer, I have been helping lead a pollinator inventory with the National Park Service at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. Working with National Park Service staff and researchers at UC Davis, we are conducting repeated surveys of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), bumble bees (Bombus spp.), and the plants they use. The goal is to establish a baseline of which pollinator species occur in the parks, when t

I recently began leading the UC Davis component of a collaborative research project that brings together universities researchers, conservation organizations, and federal agencies to better understand western monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) breeding across the West. Effective conservation of at-risk species depends on managing habitat throughout their life cycle, which requires understanding phenology or the timing of major life history events. For western monarchs, this

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) rely on cues from larval host-plants, milkweeds (Asclepias) to decide where to lay their eggs, a choice that matters because newly hatched caterpillars have limited ability to move between plants. Because water availability can alter plant traits, we asked whether water limitation changes how female monarchs select narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) for oviposition (egg-laying). In choice trials, female monarchs laid about 40%

This fall, I volunteered with the University of Nevada, Reno Natural History Museum during an outreach event that welcomed students from Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program connects students from diverse backgrounds with mentors and new experiences, and partnering with the museum gave me the chance to share science as one of those experiences. At my station, I introduced students to the use of spectrograms—visual tools researchers use to study bird songs. By turning sound i

For Earth Day, I joined the University of Nevada, Reno Natural History Museum to volunteer at their outreach booth. Kids leaned in close to peer at pinned bees and butterflies, while parents asked how they could help pollinators in their backyards. I enjoyed answering questions about our native insects and their role in local ecosystems. Invertebrates provide vital services such as pollination and nutrient recycling, yet they are often overlooked in conservation. This is larg

Biotic and abiotic stressors play a pivotal role in shaping herbivore population dynamics, but their impact is far from isolated. Interactive effects, both direct and indirect, necessitate an exploration of these dynamics from a tritrophic perspective. Abiotic conditions directly affect herbivore development and, in turn, influence larvae by altering larval-food plant chemistry. Additionally, these conditions mold predator community composition, impacting hunting strategies,

To investigate the factors influencing the use of milkweed (Asclepias spp . ) populations by monarch butterflies for breeding behaviors...

To investigate the interacting effects of herbivory and drought on the above-ground chemistry and physical characteristics of narrowleaf...

After 3 months of rearing over 100 monarch larvae on three species of Asclepias L. (milkweed) I am proud to be presenting my preliminary...

The 14th Annual Urban Ecology and Conservation Symposium was hosted by Portland State University today. Speakers from all over the world...

Native prairie habitats across Willamette Valley have been decimated and the patches of remaining habitats are highly fragmented. This degradation of prairie landscapes have been primarily lost as a result of spreading agriculture, urbanization, and other development. The US Fish and Wildlife Services has been working with local land owners to promote land management for two rare, endemic Willamette Valley prairie species: Kincaid's Lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii)

After designing a planting-plan for this small parcel of riparian habitat with the Tryon Creek Watershed Council, I have organized and lead various restoration events to assist private landowners with improving this area. Over the course of several years we have removed English ivy (Hedera helix) and Himilayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus). We have also planted hundreds of native grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees. Healthy riparian areas are important because they improve wate