Our research lies at the intersection of evolutionary biology and ecology. We study how insects adapt to their ecological niches and respond to environmental change driven by urbanisation, agriculture, and climate change. Using experimental ecology and evolution, we focus on social bees and fruit flies as key study organisms. The group is led by Professor Elli Leadbeater.
Leadbeater Lab
Research Projects
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Collaborations
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Selected publications
Leadbeater E, Watrobska C (2025) What could evolve in the evolution of memory? Phil Trans Roy Soc B 280:20240109.
Pull CD, Petkova I, Watrobska C, Pasquier G, Perez Fernandez M, Leadbeater E (2022) Ecology dictates the value of memory for foraging bees. Current Biology 32:4279-4285.
Siviter H, Bailes EJ, Martin CD, Oliver TR, Koricheva J, Leadbeater E and Brown M (2021) Agrochemicals interact synergistically to increase bee mortality. Nature 596: 389-392,
Hasenjager M, Hoppitt W and LEADBEATER E (2020) Network-based diffusion analysis reveals context-specific dominance of dance communication in foraging honeybees. Nature Communications 11:625.
Siviter H, Brown MJF and LEADBEATER E (2018) Sulfoxaflor exposure reduces bumblebee reproductive success. Nature 561:109-112, doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0430-6
Full publication list is here.
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Leadbeater Lab
Click to email. ellouise.leadbeater@ucl.ac.uk