Keng-Lou James Hung

I am a pollination ecologist at the U. of Oklahoma, currently heading up the OK Native Bee Inventory and studying various aspects of native bee conservation.

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

@wraslor86 Nice! Yes, blue bees in TX are likely one of several carpenter bee (Xylocopa) species you've got. These days lots of awesome discoveries are made by "regular" people! If you can snap a pic of critters you encounter and post to https://t.co/B8LwJwbSTa, we would appreciate it!

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

NEW BEE JUST DROPPED! The sparkly blue Andrena androfovea might be the first of roughly 1700 Andrena species to be a specialist of the Solanaceae (tomato family), and has a sternal hairbrush for pollen collection! https://t.co/P79joC9gTu

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

This is a dream-team collaboration with Silas Bossert @thecriticalbee and Jack Neff at Central Texas Melittological Institute! Hopefully many more to come! :)

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Hot off the press! Our new study led by three amazing @UofOklahoma undergrads found that ornamental plants--especially woody species--can support urban pollinators active in the early spring when food is otherwise scarce https://t.co/Lqel7BMQSB

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

@susta1nabeelity @TernestJ @Ingwell_vegIPM @msuvegent @Kaplan_Lab @KGoodell66 @EntsocAmerica @OxfordJournals Our bottom line is that YES, systemic pesticides (at least thiamethoxam) and foliar sprays DO reduce pests, BUT we're often using more than necessary to control pests, and may instead be (1) harming pollinators and (2) spending too much on those chemicals.

[Elias H. Bloom @susta1nabeelity]

Check out our recent work on balancing pest and pollinator management by @kljhung, @TernestJ, @Ingwell_vegIPM, @msuvegent, @Kaplan_Lab, @KGoodell66 and Tom Wood (not on X)! Free and OA through @EntsocAmerica @OxfordJournals! https://t.co/xHfl8kecy6

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Calling y'all fitness enthusiasts and martial artists out there! The portable punching bag for on-the-go training my little brother designed is launching soon! Sign up for exclusive Kickstarter discounts at https://t.co/hxPsDGLoWZ!

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Soooooo I'm recruiting a postdoc! The research topic is wide open, so long as it advances pollinator conservation in the Southern Great Plains and/or surrounding areas. Please tell your friends and recent grads! Thank you!
https://t.co/oWyWk8aJFF

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Very honored to be featured on the podcast of my friend and colleague Dr. Sean O'Brien of @natureserve, chatting about #pollinator biology and conservation! https://t.co/o5t5xF1RbD

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Thank you to @NSERC_CRSNG, @USDA, and @Cornell for funding; @DanforthLab for supporting data collection; and @ArchibaldWinery, @DixieOrchards, @SpiritTreeCider for letting us chase bees around their orchards and providing their insight as growers!

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

#Pollination is more than single-visit pollen deposition and visitation frequency: pollinator movement and #pollen #carryover can be just as important! https://t.co/A4VF2dLRXQ please share with any #apple growers you know :)

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

New paper! Insects can invade islands from the mainland, and vice versa too. We can better detect such invaders by forging collaborations between community scientists and professional biologists. It takes a village to respond to species invasions! https://t.co/HVjFFJ37Wz

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Our study on the impacts of drought on bee assemblages https://t.co/2RGo6vrQd6 was featured in Episode 5 of the Bee's Knees! https://t.co/cgTcgkeD6y
Here's to a better and wetter 2023, for you and for the bees!

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

@BeeBabette There are certainly people like that, but I also know many stellar academics who are devoted parents, active community members, amazing mentors, and top-notch friends... so it's doable! I have yet to find out what their secret is though...

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

I thought San Diego is a hotbed of Africanized honey bees, but new research shows instead that SD's feral honey bees retain a high level of genetic diversity with representation from all major lineages. Cool stuff! https://t.co/m32ZvU2k1f

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

@eli_wyman Happy birthday my friend! You can fit SO many collecting jars in that bandolier! 🤣

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

What happens when you plant a pollinator habitat and just leave it alone? Our decade-long project (https://t.co/MaJwXWuSv6) shows that most planted species don't stick around😢. So, build ecological succession into your seed mix and be sure to include hardy, competitive species!

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Just realized that "Anthidium psoraleae" is a real species and not just my brain jumbling up the more familiar "Anthidium paroselae" (whose species names are anagrams of each other)...🤣

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

@jessperapis @maryajamieson @inaturalist @joseph_ferraro @OCParksAndRec Yes!! I'm definitely interested! Thanks @jessperapis for the connection!

[Keng-Lou James Hung @kljhung]

Fennel can be an allelopathic invasive plant. Our latest research shows that it can also act as a magnet plant for pollinators, and export heterospecific pollen to neighboring natives. Let's keep our eyes on this cheeky plant... https://t.co/SI7prnGEqC