Dr. Frank Drummond has been researching pest and beneficial insects for twenty-five years at the University of Maine. He trained as an insect ecologist and has an interest in wild blueberries. The focus of his research lab is on sustainable production of the wild lowbush blueberry in Maine. He currently has several projects which he is carrying out by himself, and with four research scientists, and seven graduate students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is the main agency supporting his research, but the state of Maine also supports several projects. The major projects that Dr. Drummond works on are:
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1) Pollination ecology of wild blueberry. (Dr. Frank Drummond)
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2) Bee health and conservation of both honey bees and native bees (Ms. Kalyn Bickerman, PhD candidate and Dr. Sara Bushman, Research Scientist)
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3) Pollinator gardens and plantings for farmers (Mr. Eric Venturini, MS Candidate and
Dr. Alison Dibble, Research Scientist)
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4) Landscape ecology of native pollinators (Dr. Cyndy Loftin, cooperating faculty; Ms
Shannon Chapin, MS Candidate, and Ms. Brianne Du Clos, PhD Candidate)
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5) Economics of pollination in wild blueberry (Dr. Aaron Hoshide, Research Scientist)
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6) Behavior, biology, disease ecology, and management of insect pests of wild blueberry, especially the spotted wing drosophila (Mr. Gabe Al-Najjar, MS Candidate; Ms. Judith Collins, Research Scientist, and Ms. Elyssa Ballman, Research Scientist)
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7) The genetics of cold and frost tolerance of blueberry (Mr. Lee Beers, PhD Candidate)
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8) Evolutionary biology and tradeoffs in growth and reproductive investment by the
blueberry plant (Mr. Alex Bajcz, PhD Candidate)
