Elisabeth Williamson
@dr-ewilliamson.bsky.social
Entomologist, Molecular ecologist, Evolutionary biologist.
Transient, environmentally acquired microbes can benefit insect hosts - but not always.
In solitary bee Megachile tosticauda, bacteria detected by sequencing are not metabolically active gut symbionts and are not required for development. Presence≠function.
doi.org/10.1093/fems...
@femsmicro.org
In solitary bee Megachile tosticauda, bacteria detected by sequencing are not metabolically active gut symbionts and are not required for development. Presence≠function.
doi.org/10.1093/fems...
@femsmicro.org
Experimental evidence for the absence of a functional gut microbiome in the solitary bee Megachile tosticauda
Abstract. The eusocial honey bee is a model for insect microbiome research, with socially transmitted gut communities that play key roles in health and dev
doi.org
February 2, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Transient, environmentally acquired microbes can benefit insect hosts - but not always.
In solitary bee Megachile tosticauda, bacteria detected by sequencing are not metabolically active gut symbionts and are not required for development. Presence≠function.
doi.org/10.1093/fems...
@femsmicro.org
In solitary bee Megachile tosticauda, bacteria detected by sequencing are not metabolically active gut symbionts and are not required for development. Presence≠function.
doi.org/10.1093/fems...
@femsmicro.org