Connecticut State The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Kimberly A. Stoner

Department of Entomology
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Voice: (203) 974-8480 Fax: (203) 974-8502
E-mail: Kimberly.Stoner@ct.gov

Expertise:
Dr. Stoner has expertise in developing alternatives to insecticides for managing vegetable insects, working with organic farmers and land care professionals on pest management, and studying the exposure of pollinators to pesticides in pollen and nectar.

 

Education:
B.S. in Zoology, Duke University 1979
Ph.D. in Entomology, Cornell University 1987

 

Station Career:
Assistant Scientist 1987-2001
Associate Agricultural Scientist 2001-2019
Agricultural Scientist 2019-2022

Emeritus Scientist 2022-present

 

Past Research:
Dr. Stoner’s research has identified a variety of possible alternatives to insecticides for managing insects in several different vegetable crops. One alternative is to grow varieties with resistance to insects, such as brassicas (cabbage, broccoli and related crops) that resist caterpillars due to differences in the waxes on their leaves. Another is the use of cultural methods, such as use of straw mulch on potatoes and eggplants, which increases the effectiveness of predators against the Colorado potato beetle. Another method she has studied is biological control of the Mexican bean beetle, using the parasitoid wasp Pediobius foreolatus. She has also participated as a member of the Northeast Organic Network in an intensive case study of organic vegetable and cash grain farms in the

Northeast.

 

Current Research:
Dr. Stoner’s research focuses on several aspects of bees and pollination:
1. Exposure of bees to pesticides in pollen and nectar, in collaboration with Dr. Brian Eitzer of the Analytical Chemistry Department
2. Attractiveness of ornamental plants to honey bees and native bees
3. Pollinator habitat on Connecticut farms and practices to create or improve habitat
4. Pollination of pumpkins and winter squash

Click this link to view the Pollinator Information Page
 
Selected publications available from the author, Kimberly.Stoner@ct.gov
  • Stoner, K. A., Nurse, A., Koethe, R. W., Hatala, M. S., and Lehmann, D. M. (2022). Where Does Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Pollen Come from? A Study of Pollen Collected from Colonies at Ornamental Plant Nurseries. Insects, 13(8). DOI: 10.3390/insects13080744
  • Stoner, K. A. (2020). Pollination is sufficient, even with low bee diversity, in pumpkin and winter squash fields. Agronomy 10: 1141. doi:10.3390/agronomy10081141 (PDF)
  • Sponsler, D. B., Grozinger, C. M., Richardson, R. T., Nurse, A., Brough, D. Patch, H. M., and Stoner, K. A. (2020).  A screening-level assessment of the pollinator-attractiveness of ornamental nursery stock using a honey bee foraging assay. Sci. Rep., 10, 831. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-57858-2 
  • Stoner, K. A., Cowles, R. S., Nurse, A., and Eitzer, B. D. (2019). Tracking Pesticide Residues to a Plant Genus Using Palynology in Pollen Trapped from Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) at Ornamental Plant Nurseries, Environmental Entomology, 48(2), 351-362, nvz007, https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvz007
  • A Citizen's Guide to Creating Pollinator Habitat in Connecticut (PDF Format)
  • Zarrillo. T., J. S. Ascher, J. Gibbs, and K. Stoner.  (2016). New and Noteworthy Records of Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) for Connecticut.  Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 89(2), 138-157.
  • Stoner, K. A. (2016). Current Pesticide Risk Assessment Protocols Do Not Adequately Address Differences Between Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.). Front. Environ. Sci., 4, https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2016.00079 
  • Stoner, K. A. (2014) Protecting Your Children and Food from Lead in Soil. 
  • Stoner, K. A., and Eitzer, B. D. (2013). Using a Hazard Quotient to Evaluate Pesticide Residues Detected in Pollen Trapped from Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) in Connecticut. PloS One, 8(10). e77550. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0077550  http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0077550
  • Stoner, K. A. (2013) Bees on Alternative Flowering Plants on Vegetable Farms.
  • Stoner, K. A. (2013) Planting Flowers for Bees in Connecticut.
  • Stoner K. A., B. D. Eitzer, (2012). Movement of Soil-Applied Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam into Nectar and Pollen of Squash (Cucurbita pepo). PLoS ONE 7(6): e39114. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039114. http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0039114
  • Stoner, K. A. (2009). Management Of Insect Pests with Crop Rotation and Field Layout. Pp. 40-44 in Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual. NRAES-177.
  • Mohler, C.L. and K. A. Stoner. (2009). Guidelines for Intercropping. Pp. 95-100 in Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual. NRAES-177.
  • Stoner, K. A. (2008). Organic Vegetable Farms in New England: Three Case Studies. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 1014, September 2008. https://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/bulletins
    /b1021.pdf  
  • Stoner, K. A. (2008). Farm-Based Education in Connecticut.
    https://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/special
    _features/farm_based_education_in_ct.pdf     
  • Stoner, K. A. (2008). Resources on Pest Management for Organic Growers.
    https://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/special_features/resources
    _on_pest_management_for_organic_growers.pdf     
  • Stoner, K. A. (2005). Using Pediobius foveolatus as a biological control agent for Mexican bean beetle in snap beans. http://ofrf.org/funded/reports/stoner_00-07.pdf 
  • Eigenbrode, S. D., N. N. Kabalo, and K. A. Stoner. (1999). Predation, behavior, and attachment by Chrysoperla plorabunda larvae on Brassica oleracea with different surface wax blooms. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 90:225-235.
  • Stoner, K. A. 1998. Approaches to the biological control of insects. UMCE Bulletin #7144. http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7144.htm 
  • Stoner, K. A. 1997. Behavior of neonate imported cabbageworm larvae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) under laboratory conditions on collard leaves with glossy or normal wax. Journal of Entomological Science 32:290-295.
  • Stoner, K. A. 1997. Influence of mulches on the colonization by adults and survival of larvae of the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in eggplant. Journal of Entomological Science 32: 7-16.
  • Stoner, K. A., F. J. Ferrandino, M. P. N. Gent, W. H. Elmer, and J. A. LaMondia. 1996. Effects of straw mulch, spent mushroom compost, and fumigation on the density of Colorado potato beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in potatoes. Journal of Economic Entomology 89: 1267-1280.
  • Stoner, K. A. 1996. Plant resistance to insects: A resource available for sustainable agriculture. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 13: 7-39.
  • Stoner, K. A. 1992. Density of imported cabbageworm, cabbage aphid, and flea beetles on glossy and trichome-bearing lines of Brassica oleracea L. Journal of Economic Entomology 85: 1023-1030.
  • Stoner, K. A. 1990. Glossy leaf wax and plant resistance to insects in Brassica oleracea under natural infestation. Environmental Entomology 19: 730-739.