Elizabeth Capaldi

Elizabeth Capaldi is a Professor of Biology and Animal Behavior at Bucknell University, holding dual appointments in the Department of Biology and the Animal Behavior Program where she teaches undergraduate courses including Animal Behavior (BIOL/ANBE/PSYC 266), Neuroethology, and Tropical Ecology.

Her educational background:

• Ph.D. from Michigan State University

Her research integrates neuroethology and ecology to investigate the neural basis of insect behavior, with primary focus on honey bees. She examines navigation mechanisms, social behavior modulation by environmental factors, and brain-behavior relationships through field studies in Pennsylvania and tropical habitats combined with laboratory neuroanatomical analysis. This work employs techniques including harmonic radar tracking and histological brain examination.

Publication trends reveal consistent focus on bee biology across virology, biodiversity, and behavioral ecology, with recent expansion into comparative studies of regeneration in lizards. Her work bridges fundamental neurobiology with conservation applications for native bee populations.

Her laboratory infrastructure includes:

• Langstroth hive colonies of Apis mellifera
• Specialized observation hives and beekeeping equipment
• Microscopy/histology suites for neural analysis
• Digital video systems for behavioral recording
• Field equipment for tropical and native bee studies