Callin M. Switzer

University of Washington, Harvard University

Papers

Total Citations

294

H-Index

About

Callin M. Switzer is a behavioral ecologist whose research illuminates how environmental stressors disrupt the intricate social lives of bees. Her work centers on the intersection of pesticide toxicology, social network analysis, and automated behavioral monitoring. Switzer’s landmark study, “Neonicotinoid exposure disrupts bumblebee nest behavior, social networks, and thermoregulation” (2018, 290 citations), revealed that sublethal doses of imidacloprid fundamentally alter bumblebee colony dynamics—impairing nest thermoregulation, fragmenting worker social networks, and reducing brood care. This work provided a mechanistic link between pesticide exposure and colony decline, demonstrating that behavioral disruption, not just direct mortality, drives population losses. To achieve these insights, Switzer developed an innovative automated robotic platform for continuous, multi-colony behavioral tracking, detailed in her 2017 methods paper. This tool enables high-resolution, long-term observation of bee interactions, offering a powerful new approach for ecotoxicology. Her contributions have reshaped our understanding of how neonicotinoids threaten pollinators, making her a leading voice in conservation behavior and pesticide risk assessment.