Ann M. Fraser

Professor of Biology

PhD Biology Harvard University
BSc (Hons) Biology, Acadia University, Canada
Diploma Land Surveying, Nova Scotia Land Survey Institute, Canada (renamed Centre of Geographic Sciences)

Tel: 269.337.7063; Office: Dow 314
Email: afraser@kzoo.edu

  • 2018-present Professor of Biology, Kalamazoo College, MI
  • 2008-2018   Associate Professor of Biology, Kalamazoo College, MI
  • 2007-2010   Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Assistant Professor of Biology, Kalamazoo College, MI
  • 2003-2008   Assistant Professor of Biology, Kalamazoo College, MI
  • 2001-2003   Visiting Assistant Professor, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN
  • 1998-2001   Postdoctoral Research Associate, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Research Interests

My research interests are centered around questions about biodiversity and behavior in insects. I have used chemical, behavioral, physiological and ecological approaches to elucidate factors that influence the establishment and maintenance of plant-insect and insect-insect interactions. In 2008 my lab turned its attention to pollinators and their conservation. We conduct periodic surveys to document native bee diversity in Southwest Michigan and examine interactions between bees and native plants in the area. In 2020 my lab launched a citizen science project (Southwest Michigan Bee Watch) to document bumble bee diversity in natural and managed landscapes in the area. Together with a multidisciplinary team from USA and India, I am also collaborating on a project examining pollinator health and apple grower livelihoods in the Western Himalayas.

Courses Taught

  • SEMN171   Social Bee-ings (First Year Seminar)
  • BIOL102   The Darwinian Revolution
  • BIOL123   Form and Function with Lab
  • BIOL/PSYC290   Animal Behavior with Lab
  • BIOL395 Plant-Animal Interactions with Lab
  • BIOL396   Entomology with Lab
  • BIOL489   Chemical Ecology

Grants and Awards

2019-20 Great Lakes Colleges Association’s New Directions in Global Scholarship grant (Co-PI); $49,584
“Apples, Bees, and Livelihoods in the Western Himalayas”; 2019-2020

Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Love Where You Live Environment Fund grant (Project Leader); $7,000
“Lillian Anderson Arboretum Pollinator Friendly Landscape Restoration Project”; 2019-2020

National Science Foundation, RUI Collaborative Grant #0522178 (PI); $175849
“Chemosensory basis of host selection by ant-associated butterflies”; 2005-2008

Professional Service

Editorial board, Annals of the Entomological Society of America (2006-present)

Selected Publications

(* denotes undergraduate coauthor)

Luthra, A., Cunningham, K., Fraser, A.M., Pandey, A., Rana, S. and Singh, V. (2022), Ecological livelihoods of farmers and pollinators in the Himalayas: Doing critical physical geography using citizen science. The Canadian Geographer / Le Géographe canadien. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12799

Gray, S., L. Coates, A. Fraser and P. Pierce. 2015. Developing research skills across the undergraduate curriculum. New Direction for Higher Education, 169: 85-94. DOI: 10.1002/he.20125

Morrison, W.R. III*, J. T. Waller*, A.C. Brayshaw*, D.A. Hyman*, M.R. Johnson* and A.M. Fraser. 2012. Evaluating multiple arthropod taxa as indicators of invertebrate diversity in old fields. The Great Lakes Entomologist 45: 56-68.  (PDF)

Fass, M.F. and A.M. Fraser. 2009. Building Global Awareness through Biology, Public Health and Study Abroad: How Science Study Can Prepare Students for Study Abroad, and How Study Abroad Can Prepare Scientists for Citizenship. In: E. Brewer and K. Cunningham (eds), Integrating Study Abroad Into the Curriculum: Theory and Practice across the Disciplines. Stylus Publishing, Sterling, VA, pp. 173-189.

Martelli, M.G*., M.M. Ward* and A.M. Fraser. 2004. Ant diversity sampling on the southern Cumberland Plateau: a comparison of litter sifting and pitfall trapping. Southeastern Naturalist 3:113-126. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3877945

Fraser, A.M., W.L. Mechaber and J.G. Hildebrand. 2003. Electroantennographic and behavioral responses of the sphinx moth Manduca sexta to host plant headspace volatiles. Journal of Chemical Ecology 29:1813-1833. DOI:10.1023/A:1024898127549

Fraser, A.M., T. Tregenza, N. Wedell, M.A. Elgar and N.E. Pierce. 2002. Oviposition tests of ant preference in a myrmecophilous butterfly. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 15:861-870.

Fraser, A.M., A.H. Axen and N.E. Pierce. 2001. Assessing the quality of different ant species as partners of a myrmecophilous butterfly. Oecologia 129:452-460.

Eastwood, R. and A.M. Fraser. 1999. Associations between lycaenid butterflies and ants in Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 24: 503-537.

Fraser, A.M. and T.B. Herman. 1993. Territorial and reproductive behaviour in a sympatric species complex of the neotropical damselfly Cora Selys (Zygoptera: Polythoridae). Odonatologica 22:411-429.

Recent Conference Presentations – Oral (* denotes undergraduate coauthor)

Virkar, P. and A.M. Fraser. 2021. Taking conservation beyond awareness generation: leveraging citizen science through diversity, abundance, and habitat assessment for pollination conservation in the Himalayas. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Denver, CO, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2021. (virtual presentation)

Fraser, A.M. 2014. Managing for Pollinators.  The Science, Practice and Art of Restoring Native Ecosystems 2014, East Lansing, MI.  (invited workshop presentation).

Blazek, L.C.* and A.M. Fraser. 2009. Instinct vs learning in the initiation of a species-specific caterpillar-ant mutualism. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Indianapolis, IN, Dec. 13-16, 2009.

Fraser, A.M., A.P. Mutsaers*, B. Bullard*, J.S. Beckett* and J.E. Hofferberth. 2008. Butterfly olfactory responses to ant volatiles: potential cues for host ant recognition in the obligately ant-associated butterfly Jalmenus evagoras (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). 25th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, State College, PA, Aug.17-22, 2008.

Hofferberth, J.E., J.S. Beckett*, J.D. Beckett* and A.M. Fraser. 2008. Synthesis and GC-EAD analysis of semiochemicals putatively used by the obligate ant-associated butterfly Jalmenus evagoras in host ant selection. 25th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, State College, PA, Aug. 17-22, 2008.

Recent Conference Presentations – Poster (* denotes undergraduate coauthor)

Arnosky*, S.E. and A.M. Fraser. 2011.  Native bee diversity of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in southwest Michigan. Michigan Entomological Society, Hastings, MI, June 2011.

Arnosky, S.E.* and A.M. Fraser. 2009. Native bee diversity of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in southwest Michigan. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Indianapolis, IN, Dec. 13-16, 2009.

Beckett, J.S.*, J.E. Hofferberth and A.M. Fraser. 2008. Synthesis of terpene derived natural products. 235th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-8, 2008.

Fraser, A.M., J.T. Waller*, W.R. Morrison III*, A.C. Brayshaw*, D.A. Hyman* and M.R. Johnson*. Evaluation of multiple arthropod taxa as indicators of ground-dwelling invertebrate biological diversity within open meadows. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, San Diego, CA, Dec. 9-12, 2007.

Beckett, J.S.*, J.E. Hofferberth and A.M. Fraser. 2007. Concise synthesis of natural products iridodial and actinidine. 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-26, 2007.

Undergraduate Senior Thesis Students

(Senior Integrated Projects – direct supervision)

2020-21   Nicole Bailey. “Variation in Bumble Bee Foraging Preferences by Flower Characteristics in Southwest Michigan”

2020-21   Alexa Dulmage. “An Analysis of Bee Diversity and Sampling Techniques in Southwest Michigan”

2020-21   Nikoli Nickson. “The Efficacy of the Southwest Michigan Bee Watch Citizen Science Program and the Assessment of Landscape in Determining Bumble Bee Diversity”

2019-20   Amy Cazier.  “Assessment of Floristic Quality and Plant-pollinator Interactions on the Powerline Right-of-way at the Lillian Anderson Arboretum”

2019-20   Trevor Rigney.  “Native Bee Nesting Abundance and Diversity at the Lillian Anderson Arboretum”

2018-19   Ian Freshwater. “Utilizing organizational and motivational theories to establish a strong organizational culture for the Kalamazoo College Council of Student Representatives” (co-supervised with Brian Dietz, Associate Dean of Students, Director of Student Involvement and the Hicks Student Center)

2018-19   Erik Funke.  “Bees of the Lillian Anderson Arboretum”

2017-18   Viridiana Carvajal. “Bilingual Education at El Sol Elementary” (co-supervised with Ms. Candace Bailey Combs, Learning Support Specialist and ESL Coordinator, Kalamazoo College)

2017-18   Kyra Blum. “An Observation of Plant-Pollinator Interactions at Kalamazoo College”

2015-16   Elizabeth Lenning. “Success in Science: Identifying Barriers and Bridges to First Year Students’ Success in Introductory Undergraduate Biology and Chemistry Courses” (co-supervised with Dr. Jeff Bartz, Chemistry Department)

2014-15   Abraham Bayha. “An Investigation of Potentially Aggressive Interactions between Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Native Bees in Nature Preserves”

2014-15   Anup Bhullar. “Recovery Plans for the Karner Blue Butterfly: Assessment of Habitat for Endangered Species Introduction” (co-supervised with Ashley Wick, Biological Research Director, Kalamazoo Nature Center)

2014-15   Jared Grimmer. “Do Bees Prefer Spotted Knapweed over Other Co-flowering Plant Species?”

2014-15   Jack Kemper. “Assessing the impacts of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) introduction on native bees in prairie ecosystems”

2012-13   Conrad Liu. “HPLC Analysis of Cardenolide Induction in Asclepias syriaca Leaves and Nectar Following Application of Jasmonic Acid” (co-supervised with Dr. Jennifer Furchak, Chemistry Department)

2012-13   Nicholas Smith. “Detection of Iridoids in Snapdragons and Methods to Observe Effects of Toxic Nectar on Pollination Behavior of Bumblebees”

2012-13   Mary Shaun Wald. “Effects of Simulated Herbivory on Cardenolide Levels in Asclepias syriaca and Consequences for Butterfly Pollinators”

2010-11   Melissa Bayci. “Effects of a neonicotinoid insecticide on egg and larval stages of the green frog, Rana clamitans” (co-supervised with Dr. Paul Sotherland, Biology Department)

2008-09   Sarah Arnosky. “Native Bee Diversity of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Southwest Michigan”

2008-09   Leah Blazek. “Instinct versus Learning in the Development of a Species-Specific Caterpillar-Ant Symbiosis”

2007-08   Alexander Mutsaers. “Identification of Ant Volatile Compounds Through Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy and the Stimulated Response of Jalmenus evagoras Antennae”

2006-07   Brett Bullard. “Investigation of the Differences in GC-FID Profiles of Genus Iridomyrmex Ant Volatiles and GC-EAD Responses of a Myrmecophilous Butterfly, Jalmenus evagoras (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)”

2006-07   Kathryn Drumm. “Artificial Diet Trials for the Butterfly Jalmenus evagoras (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)”

2005-06   Joseph Waller. “Invertebrate Diversity in Old-Field Sites in Southwest Michigan: Assessment of Indicator Taxa and Examination of Ecological Correlates of Diversity”