Project:

Investigation of biodiversity and evolutionary relationships of bees, ants and wasps collected in Nassau County, NY

Students:

Anusha Vaish, Lauren Tuffy, Ellie Takaki

School:

The Ursuline School, Other

Mentors:

Oxana Litvine

Abstract:

This study will investigate the biodiversity and evolutionary relationships among bees, ants, and wasps (order Hymenoptera) collected from Farmingdale State College in Nassau County, New York. Using a combination of DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analysis, the project aims to clarify genetic linkages and evolutionary divergence within this ecologically vital group. Specimens collected in 2022 were preserved in ethanol and photographed for taxonomic comparison through the citizen-science platform iNaturalist. DNA will be extracted using Chelex resin, amplified by PCR with invertebrate degenerate primer cocktail COI, and visualized through gel electrophoresis prior to sequencing. Sequence data will be analyzed using DNA Subway and BLAST to determine molecular identities and construct a phylogenetic tree. Comparative analyses between morphological and genetic identifications will validate classification accuracy and reveal cryptic diversity. The resulting dataset will contribute to region

Poster: