Orley R. Taylor, Jr.
Professor
Insect Ecology
Ph.D., University of Connecticut
7005 Haworth Hall
Phone: (785) 864-4051
Fax: (785) 864-4441
Area of Interest and Research
My research efforts have included studies of reproductive isolating mechanisms in sulfur butterflies, reproductive and life history patterns in plants, comparative biology of European and Neotropical African honey bees and migratory behavior of monarch butterflies. Work in progress utilizes genetic markers to quantify the interactions between invading Neotropical African bees and resident European bees in North America. These investigations should clarify why, even after 40 years of hybridization, Neotropical African bees have retained their genetic integrity. Monarch Watch [ www.MonarchWatch.org ], an outreach program I initiated in 1992, now occupies much of my time.
Representative Publications
Brower, L. P., O. R.Taylor, E. H. Williams, D. A. Slayback, R. R. Zubieta, and M. . Ramirez.. In press. Decline of Monarch Butterflies overwintering in Mexico: Is the migratory phenomenon at risk?
Kevan,P. G., D. Eisikowitch, W. Kinuthia, P. Martin, E. C. Mussen, U. Partap, O. R. Taylor, R. W. Thorp, C. H. Vergara, and K. Winters. In press. Why high quality hive products are important to agriculture. Bee World.
Savit, A., D. Smith, and O. Taylor. 2006. Mitochondrial DNA and allozyme frequencies in an Africanized Apis mellifera population in southern Oklahoma. Journal of Apicultural Research 45(3): 221-222.
Harrison, J.F., O. R. Taylor, H.G. Hall. 2005. The flight physioloogy of reproductives of Africanized, European, and hybrid honey bees (Apis melifera). Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 78(2): 153-162.
Perez, S.M. and O.R. Taylor. 2004. Monarch butterfliens' (Danaus plexippus) migratory behavior persists despite changes in environmental conditions. In: Oberhauser, K. and Solensky, M. (eds.). Monarch butterflies: Ecology and population biology, Cornell University Press.pp. 85-88.
Feddema, J. J., J. Shields, J., O.R. Taylor, and D. Bennett. 2004. Simulating the development and migration of the monarch butterfly. In: Oberhauser, K, and Solensky, M. (eds.). Monarch butterflies: Ecology and population biology, Cornell University Press. pp 229-240.
Taylor, O.R. 2004. Neotropical African bees. In: Resh, V.H. and R. T. carde, (eds.). Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press, St. Louis.
Obrycki, J.J., J.E. Losey, O. R. Taylor, and L.C. Hansen. 2001. Transgenic insecticidal corn: Beyond insecticidal toxicity to ecological complexity. BioScience 51: 353-361.
Taylor, O.R., T. A. Aschenbach, S.M. Ashworth, O. Komar, W.W. Spotts, and S. Williamson. Magnetic compass orientation of Monarch butterflies (Danaus, plexippus): Did observer effects lead to false positive results? Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 73:71-76.
Hobson, K.A., L. I. Wassenaar, and O. R. Taylor. 1999. Stable isotopes of Hydrogen and Carbon are Geographic Indicators of Natal Origins of Monarch Butterflies in Eastern North America. Oecologia, 120: 397-404.
Rogg, K.A., O. R. Taylor, and D. L. Gibo. 1999. Mark and recapture during the monarch migration: A preliminary analysis. North American Conference on the Monarch Butterfly 1997. Commission for Enviornmental Cooperation, Montrea, pp. 133-136.
Otis, G.W., O.R. Taylor, M. Spivak, M. L. Winston, S. J. Katz, and P.F. Kukuk. Timing of mating flights of Neotropical African and European honey bee queens and drones (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Eastern Venezuela. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 24: 90-96.
Taylor, O.R.. 1999. Displacement of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) subspecies by an invading African subspecies in the Americas. Proc. Int. Workshop on Biol. Invasions of Ecosystem by Pests and Beneficial Organisms, Series 3, pp. 189-199, Tsukuba, Japan.
Perez, S., O.R. Taylor, and R. Jander. 1999. The effect of a strong magnetic field on Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) migratory behavior. Naturwissenschafen 86: 140-143.
Perez, S., O. R. Taylor and R. Jander . 1997. A Sun Compass in Monarch butterflies. Nature Vol 387, No 6628, p. 29.