Deborah O'Dell
Professor of Biology | University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA, UNITED STATES
Dr. O'Dell performs research into how bees use magnetic fields to orient themselves.
Spotlight
Biography
Can bees smell your fear? Is there a connection between cell phone towers and honey? These are just a few of the questions being explored by Deborah O’Dell, professor of biology at the University of Mary Washington.
According to Dr. O’Dell, bees can’t smell your fear, but they can smell your nervous body odor.
“When afraid, a person sweats, discharging ‘does not belong in hive’ chemicals,” says Dr. O’Dell. “When bees detect that, they produce an alarm pheromone that may signal others to attack.”
So what is the solution? Always wear strong, unscented deodorant around bees.
Due to her studies of magnetic orientation in bees, Dr. O’Dell also is interested in recent studies suggesting that bees living near cell phone towers may become disoriented and produce less honey.
A member of the Society for Neuroscience, Dr. O’Dell is an expert on the structure and function of the nervous system, magnetic orientation in animals and developmental neurobiology. Much of her research focuses on the function and development of nervous systems, including bees, and the role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease. She also won a 2010 VSO research grant in partnership with UMW Associate Professor of Biology Andrew Dolby for their project, “Enzyme Immunoassay Quantification of Heat Shock Protein 60,” and its application to avian conservation biology.
Areas of Expertise (7)
Biology
Neuroscience
Magnetic Orientation in Animals
Developmental Neurobiology
Alzheimer's Disease
Learning and Memory
Learning & Memory
Education (2)
State University of New York at Stony Brook: Ph.D., Developmental Biology 1985
Ursinus College: B.Sc., Biology 1979
Affiliations (3)
- Society for Neuroscience : Member
- Virginia Academy of Science the Society for Developmental Biology
- Beta Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma
Media Appearances (2)
Can Bees Actually Smell Fear?
Maxim online
2014-09-30
They can’t smell your fear, but they can smell your nervous B.O. “When afraid, a person sweats, discharging ‘does not belong in hive’ chemicals,” says Deborah O’Dell, associate professor of biology at the University of Mary Washington. “When bees detect that, they produce an alarm pheromone that may signal others to attack.” So, always wear strong, unscented deodorant around bees...
Magnetic Orientation in Bees
With Good Reason online
2012-09-01
Also featured: Deborah O’Dell (University of Mary Washington) studies magnetic orientation in bees, which, like homing pigeons, use magnetic fields to orientate themselves. She’s interested in recent studies that suggest that bees living near cell phone towers may become disoriented and produce less honey...
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