Connecting fieldwork and coursework: Course-based research on the nesting biology of Andrena regularis in northern Minnesota

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

10:00 AM - 10:12 AM Pacific

Location: Oregon Convention Center, C124, OCC

Presenting Author(s)

Matthew Petersen

University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Co-Author(s)

SC

Sarah Carlson

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
AD

Anna Dennis

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
JD

Jesse Depass

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
KE

Kaya Eklund

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
AK

Althea Kuzniewski

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
ML

Michael Leehan

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
ML

Meghan Lysaght

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
HM

Hazel McKinney

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota
JS

Jazper Simonson

University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities
St. Paul, Minnesota

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) are increasingly used to connect the research environment to traditional classroom environments. These experiential learning opportunities can connect students to real world learning outcomes and provide valuable research experience. Here we report on the application and findings of a CURE framework applied to a 3-week field entomology course conducted at Itasca Biological Station in Northern Minnesota. Students in this course had limited entomological backgrounds and no prior research experience, therefore the course was partially dedicated to basic entomological content and half to research activities. The research goals of this work were to document the nesting biology of a large aggregation of the ground-nesting bee Andrena regularis. Research focused on estimating population size using a mark and recapture approach and determining the breadth of host plants used for nest provisioning using a pollen analysis. The student learning outcomes were to explain insect-environment relationships, describe, design, and carry design research protocols, and analyze and present research findings. Importantly, student derived research protocols allowed the research goals to expand to address additional questions related to nest parasite composition, timing and duration of nesting and foraging, and species activity relative to soil temperature.