Su appuntamento.  

Laureato nel 2005 in Scienze Biologiche e specializzato in Biologia del Comportamento nel 2007, David ha conseguito il Dottorato in Etologia e Ecologia Animale nel 2012 all'Università degli Studi di Firenze. Durante il dottorato di ricerca, ha studiato i fattori prossimi e ultimi che influenzano l'ecologia comportamentale e l'immunità delle colonie di insetti sociali. David ha successivamente lavorato come Marie Curie Research Fellow (2013-2015) nel laboratorio del Prof. Lars Chittka presso la Queen Mary University of London, dove si é occupato di strategie di foraggiamento e abilità cognitive di insetti pronubi (Bombus terrestris). In particolare ha studiato come i metaboliti secondari dei nettari influenzino e manipolino il comportamento di foraggiamento dei bombi attraverso il potenziamento della loro memoria.  David ha poi lavorato come ricercatore post-doc (2015-2018) nel laboratorio del Prof. Martin Giurfa all'Université Toulouse III e nel laboratorio della Prof.ssa Patrizia d'Ettorre all'Université Paris13 dove si é occupato di plasticità comportamentale e apprendimento e memoria in api (Apis mellifera) e formiche (Camponotus aethiops). In particolare si é occupato dell'effetto modulatorio dei feromoni sulla memoria e sull'apprendimento in queste specie di insetti utilizzando una combinazione di metodi comportamentali (protocolli di condizionamento appetitivo e aversivo) e neurofarmacologici. In questi anni David ha anche esteso il suo interesse alla comunicazione chimica e visiva nelle vespe sociali italiane e tropicali (Polistinae e Stenogastrinae).

Attualmente David é Professore Associato e docente di Zoologia, Zoologia Forense e Elementi di Etologia presso l'Università degli Studi di Firenze, dove nel 2018 ha avviato un laboratorio di cognizione animale applicato allo studio dei meccanismi e dell'evoluzione dei processi cognitivi e del comportamento adattativo degli insetti e di come essi interagiscano con fattori ambientali biotici e abiotici come patogeni e pesticidi. I taxa attualmente studiati dal suo gruppo di ricerca sono api sociali (Apis mellifera e Bombus terrestris), vespe sociali (Polistes spp, Vespa crabro e Stenogastrinae).

Personal information

Date of birth: 01.07.1982

Nationality: Italian

Contact:

Mail: david.baracchi@unifi.it

Website: https://davidbaracchi.wixsite.com/beelab

Research Unique Identifier: ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1308-0612

EDUCATION

2012 PhD in Ethology and Animal Ecology, University of Florence

2007 Master’s Degree in Behavioural Biology, University of Florence. Honours summa cum laude

2005 Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Florence. Honours summa cum laude

FUNDING & RESEARCH AWARDS

2018-2021 Rita Levi Montalcini Fellowship (€214,173)

2013-15 Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship IEF (€221,606)

2009-12 Doctoral Research Scholarship awarded by the MIUR (~€40,000)

2008-12 Membership to SCI Award (Italian chemical society) according to B.Sc. and M.Sc merits

2008 Six months Post-graduate Grant. Department of Pharmacology: Mass Spectrometry Centre

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

2021- Associate Professor (Bio-05) University of Florence.

2018-21Assistant Professor (RTDb) University of Florence.

2015-18 Post Doc CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier III (France) Prof Martin Giurfa’s Lab

2015-18 Post Doc Université Paris13 (France) Prof Patrizia d’Ettorre’s Lab

2013-15 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow. Queen Mary University of London (UK) Prof Lars Chittka’s Lab

2009-12 PhD in Ethology and Animal Ecology, University of Florence (Italy). Advisor: Prof Stefano Turillazzi

2009 Training on cognitive abilities of honeybees, Universität Würzburg (Germany) Prof Jürgen Tautz’s Lab

2008 Research associate at the Mass Spectrometry Center CISM, University of Florence (Italy)

2006-13 Seven field research expeditions in Malaysia. University Malaya. Prof Rosli Hashim’s Lab

2007 Master’s Degree, University of Florence (Italy). Topic: Visual communication in Polistes dominula

2005 Bachelor’s Degree, University of Florence (Italy). Topic: Social organization of Polistes dominula

PUBLICATION LIST

- Chapters

2. Baracchi D, Tragust S (2015) Venom as a component of external immune defense in social Hymenoptera. In: Evolution of Venomous Animals and Their Toxins. Gopalakrishnakone P, Malhotra A (eds). Springer ISBN 978-94-007-6727-0
3. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S, Felicioli A (2014) Le difese naturali della colonia di api contro le malattie. In: Patologia ed avversità dell’alveare. Carnapa E, Lodesani M (Eds). ISBN 978-88-470-5649-7. Springer Italia (English translation: Natural defences of honeybee colony against diseases)

 - Research Papers

1. Carlesso D, Smargiassi S, Pasquini E, Bertelli G, Baracchi D (2021) Nectar non-protein amino acids (NPAAs) do not change nectar palatability but enhance learning and menory in honey bees. Scientific Reports. 11 (1) 1-14.
2. Carlesso D, Smargiassi S, Sassoli L, Cappa F, Cervo R, Baracchi D (2020) Exposure to a biopesticide interferes with sucrose responsiveness and learning in honey bees. Scientific Reports. 10 (1) 1-12.
3. Baracchi D, Cabirol A, Devaud JM, Haase A, d'Ettorre P, Giurfa M (2020) Pheromone components affect motivation and induce persistent modulation of associative learning and memory in honey bees. Communications Biology. 3(1): 1-9.
4. Baracchi D, Baciadonna L (2019) Insect sentience and the rise of a new inclusive ethics. Animal Sentience5 (29), 18
5. Baracchi D (2019) Editorial: Cognitive ecology of pollinators and the main determinants of foraging plasticity. Current Zoology 65 (4), 421-424.
6. Rossi N^†, Baracchi D^†, Giurfa M, d’Ettorre P (2018) Pheromone-induced Accuracy of nestmate recognition in Carpenter ants: simultaneous decrease in Type I and Type II errors. The American Naturalists. xxx. † Equal contribution
7. Avargues-Weber A, d’Amaro D, Metzler M, Finke V, Baracchi D, Dyer AG (2018) Does holistic processing require a large brain? Insights from honeybees and wasps in fine visual recognition tasks. Frontiers in Psychology. 9:1313.
8. Baracchi D, Rigosi E, de Brito Sanchez GM, Giurfa M (2018) Lateralization of sucrose responsiveness and non-associative learning in honeybees. Frontiers in Psychology 9:425.
9. Branconi R^†, Baracchi D^†, Turillazzi S, Cervo R. (2018) Testing the signal value of clypeal black patterning in the paper wasp Polistes dominula. Insectes Sociaux. 65 (1):161-196. † Equal contribution
10. Baracchi D, Vasas V, Jamshed Iqbal S, Alem S. (2017) Task difficulty and uncertainty affect social information use in foraging bumblebees. Behavioural Ecology. 29: 1-7.
11. Desmedt L, Baracchi D, Devaud JM, Giurfa M, d’Ettorre P. (2017) Aversive learning of odour-heat associations in ants. Journal of Experimental Biology. 220: 4661-4668.
12. Baracchi D, Devaud JM, d'Ettorre P, Giurfa M (2017) Pheromones modulate reward responsiveness and non-associative learning in honey bees. Scientific Reports. 7: 9875
13. Baracchi D, Lihoreau M, Giurfa M (2017) Do insects have emotions? Some insights from bumblebees. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 11: 157
14. Baracchi D, Marples A, Jenkins AJ, Leitch AR, Chittka L (2017) Nicotine in floral nectar pharmacologically influences bumblebee learning of floral features. Scientific Reports 7: 1951
15. Baracchi D (2017) The reproductive division of labour but not worker age affects spatial sorting within the nest in a paper wasp. Insect Sociaux 1-7.
16. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S, Chittka L (2016) Facial patterns in a tropical social wasp correlate with colony membership. The Science of Nature 103: 80
17. Baracchi D, Brown MJF, Chittka L (2015) Behavioural evidence for self-medication in bumblebees? F1000Research 4: 73
18. Baracchi D, Petrocelli I, Chittka L, Ricciardi G, Turillazzi S (2015) Speed and accuracy in nestmate recognition: a hover wasp prioritises face recognition over colony odour cues to minimise intrusion by outsiders. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences 282: 20142750 Science Shot: Wasps employ facial recognition to defend nests, February 3rd 2015
19. Abu Bakar, Baracchi D, Turillazzi (2015) Reuse of old nests by the european paper wasp Polistes dominula. Redia
20. Turillazzi S, Matthews RW, Pradella D, Meucci F, Baracchi D (2014) Nest architecture and colony composition of communally nesting Spilomena socialis sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Pemphredoninae) from peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 41: 113-129
21. Baracchi D, Cini A (2014) A socio-spatial combined approach confirms a highly compartmentalized structure in honeybees. Ethology 120: 1167-1176
22. Baracchi D, Mazza G, Michelucci E, Pieraccini G, Turillazzi S, Moneti G (2013) Top-down sequencing of Apis dorsata apamin by MALDI-TOF MS and evidence of its inactivity against microorganisms.  Toxicon 71: 105-112
23. Baracchi D, Petrocelli I, Cusseau G, Pizzocaro L, Teseo S, Turillazzi S (2013) Facial markings in the hover wasps: quality signals and familiar recognition cues in two species of Stenogastrinae. Animal Behaviour 85: 203-212
24. Baracchi D, Mazza G, Cini A, Petrocelli I, Hashim RB, Turillazzi S (2013) Social biology of Parischnogaster striatula (Hymenoptera, Stenogastrinae). Tropical Zoology 26: 105-119
25. Gramigni E, Calusi S, Gelli N, Giuntini L, Massi M, Delfino G, Chelazzi G, Baracchi D, Frizzi F, Santini G (2013) Ants as bioaccumulators of metals from soils: body content and tissue-specific distribution of metals in the ant Crematogaster scutellaris. European Journal of Soil Biology 58: 24-31.
26. Dapporto L, Baracchi D, Benassai D, Capretti P, Roversi PF, Turillazzi S (2013) Major changes in the sex differences in cuticular chemical profiles of the western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) after laboratory rearing. Journal of Insect Physiology 59: 738-744
27. Mancini V, Dapporto L, Baracchi D, Luchi N, Turillazzi S, Capretti P (2013) Phenotypic characterization of cryptic Diplodia species by MALDI‐TOF MS and the bias of mycelium age. Forest Pathology 43: 455-461
28. Baracchi D, Fadda A, Turillazzi S (2012) Evidence for antiseptic behaviour towards sick adult bees in honey bee colonies. Journal of Insect Physiology 58: 1589-1596
29. Baracchi D, Mazza G, Turillazzi S (2012) From individual to collective immunity: the role of the venom as antimicrobial agent in the Stenogastrinae wasp societies. Journal of Insect Physiology 58: 188-193
30. Baracchi D, Francese S, Turillazzi S (2011) Beyond the anti-predatory defence: honey bee venom function as a component of social immunity. Toxicon 58: 219-229
31. Baracchi D, Dapporto L, Turillazzi S (2011) Relevance of wing morphology in distinguishing and classifying genera and species of Stenogastrinae wasps. Contribution to Zoology 80: 191-199
32. Mazza G, Arizza V, Baracchi D, et al. (2011) Antimicrobial activity of the Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Bullettin of Insectology 64: 33-41
33. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S (2010) Differences in venom and cuticular peptides in individuals of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) determined by MALDI-TOF MS. Journal of Insect Physiology 56: 366-375
34. Baracchi D, Zaccaroni M, Cervo R, Turillazzi S (2010) Home range analysis in the study of spatial organization on the comb in the paper wasp Polistes dominulus. Ethology 116: 579-587
35. Baracchi D, Cusseau G, Pradella D, Turillazzi S (2010) Defense reaction of Apis mellifera ligustica against the attacks of the European Hornet Vespa crabro. Ethology Ecology & Evolution 22: 281-294
36. Baracchi D, Dapporto L, Teseo S, Hashim R, Turillazzi S (2010) Medium molecular weight polar substances of the cuticle as tools in the study of the taxonomy, systematics and chemical ecology of tropical hover wasps (Hymenoptera: Stenogastrinae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 48: 109-114
37. Baracchi D, Hashim R, Teseo S, Turillazzi S (2009) Basic social biology and nest architecture of Liostenogaster topographica (Hymenoptera Stenogastrinae). Tropical Zoology 22: 15-23
38. Dapporto L, Bruschini C, Baracchi D, Cini A, Gayubo S, González JA, Dennis RLH (2009) Phylogeography and counter-intuitive inferences in island biogeography: evidence from morphometric markers in the mobile butterfly Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 98: 677-692
39. Turillazzi S, Fanelli D, Theodora P, Lambardi D, Ortolani I, Hashim R, Baracchi D (2008) Determinants of immature brood and nest recognition in a stenogastrine wasp. Ethology Ecology & Evolution 20: 17-33
40. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S, Cervo R (2007) Preliminary investigation on Polistes dominulus worker' spatial distribution on the nest in relation to immature brood position Redia XC: 139-142

- F1000 Recommendations (commentary with DOI)

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Gibson WT et al., Curr Biol 2015, (25):1401-15]. In F1000Prime, 23Jul 2015; DOI: 10.3410/f.725503669.793508177.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Szyszka P et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA2014, (47):16925-30]. In F1000Prime, 04 Mar 2015; DOI: 10.3410/f.725231800. 793504461.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Otti O et al., Trends Ecol Evol (Amst) 2014, 29(11):625-34]. In F1000Prime, 19 Dec 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.719130149.793502500.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Sheehan MJ and Nachman MW, Nat Commun 2014, 5(4800)]. In F1000Prime, 31 Oct 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718877905.793501089.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Van Oystaeyen A et al., Science 2014, 343(6168):287-90]. In F1000Prime, 25 Apr 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718241916.793493967.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Fürst MA et al., Nature 2014, 506(7488):364 6]. In F1000Prime, 24 Feb 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718282911.793491217.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [de Brito Sanchez M et al., Front Behav Neurosci 2014, 8:1-16]. In F1000Prime, 11 Feb 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718270012.793490643.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Johnson BR et al., Curr Biol 2013]. In F1000Prime, 25 Oct 2013; DOI: 10.3410/f.718133764.793485646.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Greggers U et al., Proc Biol Sci 2013, 280(1759):20130528]. In F1000Prime, 22 Jun 2013; DOI: 10.3410/f.717992980.793478441

- Outreach Papers 

Baracchi D, Tufano L (2018) Ape, patogeni e nattari floreali: un sistema complesso APINSIEME n°1

Tufano, Baracchi D (2016) Apicoltura nomadismo: conseguenze per la salute dell’ape APINSIEME n°8

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2016) I probiotici e prebiotici agiscono sul Nosema ceranae? APINSIEME n°1

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Vitellogenina e senilità nell'ape e nell'alveare II APITALIA n°11

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Vitellogenina e senilità nell'ape e nell'alveare I APITALIA n°10

Baracchi D (2015) Nettari floreali e automedicazione negli impollinatori APITALIA n°9

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Il sistema immunitario dell’ape e dell’alveare II APITALIA n°6

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Il sistema immunitario dell’ape e dell’alveare I APITALIA n°5

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) L’organizzazione socio-spaziale dell’alveare APITALIA n° 3

Savorelli G, Tufano L, Baracchi D (2014) Il capitale proteico dell’alveare APITALIA n°V7

Tufano L, Savorelli G, Baracchi D (2014) Disponibilità di polline nell’alveare APITALIA n°6

Baracchi D, Savorellli G (2014) Gli effetti di carenza di polline sull’alveare APITALIA n°4

Savorelli G, Tufano L, Baracchi D (2014) Immunità d’ape, patogeni e pascolo APITALIA n°1

Baracchi D (2013) La lotta tra api igieniste e la coppia varroa-virus delle ali deformi. L’APIS

Baracchi D (2013) Il veleno me lo metto addosso e sul favo! L’APIS

Savorelli G, Baracchi D (2013) Speciale: Peste americana e Nosema ceranae Apitalia On-line

Baracchi D, Savorelli G (2013) La situazione sanitaria delle api.  APITALIA n° 6

Savorelli G, Baracchi D (2013) Il destino dell’ape ai giorni nostri.  APITALIA n° 11

Baracchi D, Savorelli G (2013) Coevoluzione ospite-parassita ape-nosema.  APITALIA n° 6

Baracchi D (2013) Anche le colonie di api hanno personalità. Apitalia On-line

Baracchi D (2013) L'immunità dell'alveare APITALIA n° 1

Baracchi D (2012) quando il mondo delle api incontra quello dei calaboroni APITALIA n° 12

INVITED SPEAKER 

2021 Plant-pollinator interactions: how flowering plants affect pollinator cognition. Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.

2018 Aminergic underpinnings of pheromonal modulation of olfactory learning and memory formation in honeybees. XI European Congress of Entomology, Naples, Italy

2016 Pheromones as modulators of cognitive phenomena and experience-dependent behaviours in insects. IST, Austria

​2015 Appetitive and aversive pheromones modulate sucrose response threshold in honey bees. IFE-GDR Meeting, Paris, France

​2015 Nestmate recognition in a social wasp: vision and olfaction. SFECA Strasburg, France

​2014 Infected bumblebees self-medicate by increasing the ingestion of nectar toxins. EURBEE Murcia, Spain

FORMATIVE ACTIVITIES

2014: Analytical Software Workshop at the University of Greenwich (Introduction to social network analysis with UCINET).

2009: International PhD course "From Solitary to Superorganism: The Evolution of Insect Societies (organizers: Prof Stefano Turillazzi, Prof. Patrizia d’Ettorre, Dr Daniel Kronauer)

2009: Beekeeping Course. Apiary management and honeybees' diseases (organized by ARPAT Firenze)

2008: XIII Mass Spectrometry Course for PhD students (organized by the Italian Chemical Society)

OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

 2012-2015 Associate Faculty member of F1000Prime (Faculty of 1000)

Guest Editor for a Special Column in Current Zoology:  Behavioural and Cognitive Plasticity in Foraging Pollinators (2018-2019). https://academic.oup.com/cz/pages/foraging_pollinators

Topic Editor for Insects (MDPI) since 2019 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/insects/topic_editors

Editorial Board Member of Diversity (MDPI) since 2019 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity

Associate Editor for Cognition (Frontiers in Psychology) since 2021 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/sections/cognition

Editorial Board Member (Review Editor) of Insect Neurobiology (Frontiers in Insect Science) since 2020  https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/insect-science

Editorial Board Member (Review Editor) of Chemical Ecology (Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution) since 2021  https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/sections/chemical-ecology

Member of  REPRISE (register of the scientific experts at MIUR)

Member of “Collegio del Dottorato di Ricerca in Biologia Evoluzionistica ed Ecologia” at University of Florence 

Member of “Commissione didattica” at University of Florence

Ad-hoc referee for:

Animal Behaviour, Animal Cognition, Apidologie, Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, BioMed Research International, Biologia, BMC Ecology, Behavioural Processes, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Contribution to Zoology, Current Zoology, Ethology, Ethology Ecology & Evolution, FEMS Microbiology Letters, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, F1000Research, Insects, Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal of Chemical Ecology, Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal of Insect Behaviour, Journal of Insect Physiology, Journal of Neuroscience Research, Molecular Ecology, Nature Chemical Biology, Naturwissenschaften, Neotropical Entomology, PLOSONE, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences, Royal Society Open Science, Scientific Reports, Toxicon, Tropical Zoology, ZooKeys.

Organizing Committee

Member of the Organizing Committee for the National Congress of IUSSI (AISASP 2019) Florence

Member of the Organizing Committee for the National Congress of Ethology (SIE 2019) Florence

Professional affiliations:

IUSSI: International Union for the Study of Social Insects

ISN: International Society for Neuroethology

SIE: Società Italiana di Etologia

Webmaster of the IUSSI Italian Section website. https://socialinsectitaly2.wixsite.com/aisasp

I miei interessi di ricerca vertono sulle capacità cognitive e sul comportamento adattativo degli insetti sociali. La ricerca condotta nel mio Laboratorio (https://davidbaracchi.wixsite.com/beelab) conta tre linee principali: 1) le abilità cognitive, l'apprendimento e la memoria e la neurobiologia degli insetti impollinatori 2) l'ecologia comportamentale degli insetti sociali, 3) l'impatto di fattori di stress naturali e antropici sulla insetti impollinatori. Insieme al mio gruppo di ricerca lavoro principalmente con api da miele (Apis mellifera) e bombi (Bombus terrestris) per delucidare i meccanismi neuroetologici e le regole comportamentali utilizzate dagli insetti per sintonizzarsi con successo con l'ambiente e prendere decisioni economiche per sopravvivere. Negli ultimi anni di attività di ricerca ho lavorato principalmente sull'impatto di (bio)pesticidi, patogeni e altri fattori di stress ambientale sulle singole api e sulle loro colonie per migliorarne la salute e il benessere e per supportare al meglio gli impollinatori selvatici come i bombi.

Graduated in 2005 in Biological Science, and specialised in 2007 in Behavioural Biology, Baracchi finished his PhD on Ecology and Animal Behaviour in 2012 (advisor: Prof. Stefano Turillazzi). During his PhD, he investigated the proximate and ultimate factors affecting the behavioural ecology and immunity of insect societies. He worked as Marie Curie Research Fellow (2013-2015) in Prof. Lars Chittka’s lab at Queen Mary University of London investigating how secondary metabolites of nectars affect foraging behaviour in bumblebees via enhanced memory for floral traits and whether nectars pharmacologically manipulate pollinators’ behaviour. He also extended his interest to cognitive capacities of bumblebees and chemical and visual communication in social wasps (Polistinae and Stenogastrinae). He worked as postdoctoral researcher (2015-2018) in Prof. Martin Giurfa' s lab at Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and Prof. Patrizia d'Ettorre's Lab at Université Paris13 studying the modulatory effect of pheromones on experience-dependent behaviour in the honeybee Apis mellifera and the ant Camponotus Aethiops.  To tackle this question he used a combination of behavioural (conditioning protocols) and pharmacological approaches. 

Baracchi currently lectures in Zoology, Forensic Zoology and Elemens of Ethology at the University of Florence, where he set up and lead an Insect Cognition Laboratory (CBE Lab) applied to the study of mechanisms and evolution of cognitive processes and adaptive behaviour in insects and how they interact with biotic and abiotic factors such as pathogens, pesticides and food source quality. Taxa currently studied are social bees (honeybees and bumblebees), ants and social wasps (paper wasps, hornets and Stenogastrinae).

Personal information

Date of birth: 01.07.1982

Nationality: Italian

Contact:

Mail: david.baracchi@unifi.it

Website: https://davidbaracchi.wixsite.com/beelab

Research Unique Identifier: ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1308-0612

EDUCATION

2012 PhD in Ethology and Animal Ecology, University of Florence

2007 Master’s Degree in Behavioural Biology, University of Florence. Honours summa cum laude

2005 Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Florence. Honours summa cum laude

FUNDING & RESEARCH AWARDS

2018-2021 Rita Levi Montalcini Fellowship (€214,173)

2013-15 Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship IEF (€221,606)

2009-12 Doctoral Research Scholarship awarded by the MIUR (~€40,000)

2008-12 Membership to SCI Award (Italian chemical society) according to B.Sc. and M.Sc merits

2008 Six months Post-graduate Grant. Department of Pharmacology: Mass Spectrometry Centre

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

2021- Associate Professor (Bio-05) University of Florence.

2018-21Assistant Professor (RTDb) University of Florence.

2015-18 Post Doc CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier III (France) Prof Martin Giurfa’s Lab

2015-18 Post Doc Université Paris13 (France) Prof Patrizia d’Ettorre’s Lab

2013-15 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow. Queen Mary University of London (UK) Prof Lars Chittka’s Lab

2009-12 PhD in Ethology and Animal Ecology, University of Florence (Italy). Advisor: Prof Stefano Turillazzi

2009 Training on cognitive abilities of honeybees, Universität Würzburg (Germany) Prof Jürgen Tautz’s Lab

2008 Research associate at the Mass Spectrometry Center CISM, University of Florence (Italy)

2006-13 Seven field research expeditions in Malaysia. University Malaya. Prof Rosli Hashim’s Lab

2007 Master’s Degree, University of Florence (Italy). Topic: Visual communication in Polistes dominula

2005 Bachelor’s Degree, University of Florence (Italy). Topic: Social organization of Polistes dominula

PUBLICATION LIST

- Chapters

2. Baracchi D, Tragust S (2015) Venom as a component of external immune defense in social Hymenoptera. In: Evolution of Venomous Animals and Their Toxins. Gopalakrishnakone P, Malhotra A (eds). Springer ISBN 978-94-007-6727-0
3. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S, Felicioli A (2014) Le difese naturali della colonia di api contro le malattie. In: Patologia ed avversità dell’alveare. Carnapa E, Lodesani M (Eds). ISBN 978-88-470-5649-7. Springer Italia (English translation: Natural defences of honeybee colony against diseases)

 - Research Papers

1. Carlesso D, Smargiassi S, Pasquini E, Bertelli G, Baracchi D (2021) Nectar non-protein amino acids (NPAAs) do not change nectar palatability but enhance learning and menory in honey bees. Scientific Reports. 11 (1) 1-14.
2. Carlesso D, Smargiassi S, Sassoli L, Cappa F, Cervo R, Baracchi D (2020) Exposure to a biopesticide interferes with sucrose responsiveness and learning in honey bees. Scientific Reports. 10 (1) 1-12.
3. Baracchi D, Cabirol A, Devaud JM, Haase A, d'Ettorre P, Giurfa M (2020) Pheromone components affect motivation and induce persistent modulation of associative learning and memory in honey bees. Communications Biology. 3(1): 1-9.
4. Baracchi D, Baciadonna L (2019) Insect sentience and the rise of a new inclusive ethics. Animal Sentience5 (29), 18
5. Baracchi D (2019) Editorial: Cognitive ecology of pollinators and the main determinants of foraging plasticity. Current Zoology 65 (4), 421-424.
6. Rossi N^†, Baracchi D^†, Giurfa M, d’Ettorre P (2018) Pheromone-induced Accuracy of nestmate recognition in Carpenter ants: simultaneous decrease in Type I and Type II errors. The American Naturalists. xxx. † Equal contribution
7. Avargues-Weber A, d’Amaro D, Metzler M, Finke V, Baracchi D, Dyer AG (2018) Does holistic processing require a large brain? Insights from honeybees and wasps in fine visual recognition tasks. Frontiers in Psychology. 9:1313.
8. Baracchi D, Rigosi E, de Brito Sanchez GM, Giurfa M (2018) Lateralization of sucrose responsiveness and non-associative learning in honeybees. Frontiers in Psychology 9:425.
9. Branconi R^†, Baracchi D^†, Turillazzi S, Cervo R. (2018) Testing the signal value of clypeal black patterning in the paper wasp Polistes dominula. Insectes Sociaux. 65 (1):161-196. † Equal contribution
10. Baracchi D, Vasas V, Jamshed Iqbal S, Alem S. (2017) Task difficulty and uncertainty affect social information use in foraging bumblebees. Behavioural Ecology. 29: 1-7.
11. Desmedt L, Baracchi D, Devaud JM, Giurfa M, d’Ettorre P. (2017) Aversive learning of odour-heat associations in ants. Journal of Experimental Biology. 220: 4661-4668.
12. Baracchi D, Devaud JM, d'Ettorre P, Giurfa M (2017) Pheromones modulate reward responsiveness and non-associative learning in honey bees. Scientific Reports. 7: 9875
13. Baracchi D, Lihoreau M, Giurfa M (2017) Do insects have emotions? Some insights from bumblebees. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 11: 157
14. Baracchi D, Marples A, Jenkins AJ, Leitch AR, Chittka L (2017) Nicotine in floral nectar pharmacologically influences bumblebee learning of floral features. Scientific Reports 7: 1951
15. Baracchi D (2017) The reproductive division of labour but not worker age affects spatial sorting within the nest in a paper wasp. Insect Sociaux 1-7.
16. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S, Chittka L (2016) Facial patterns in a tropical social wasp correlate with colony membership. The Science of Nature 103: 80
17. Baracchi D, Brown MJF, Chittka L (2015) Behavioural evidence for self-medication in bumblebees? F1000Research 4: 73
18. Baracchi D, Petrocelli I, Chittka L, Ricciardi G, Turillazzi S (2015) Speed and accuracy in nestmate recognition: a hover wasp prioritises face recognition over colony odour cues to minimise intrusion by outsiders. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences 282: 20142750 Science Shot: Wasps employ facial recognition to defend nests, February 3rd 2015
19. Abu Bakar, Baracchi D, Turillazzi (2015) Reuse of old nests by the european paper wasp Polistes dominula. Redia
20. Turillazzi S, Matthews RW, Pradella D, Meucci F, Baracchi D (2014) Nest architecture and colony composition of communally nesting Spilomena socialis sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Pemphredoninae) from peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 41: 113-129
21. Baracchi D, Cini A (2014) A socio-spatial combined approach confirms a highly compartmentalized structure in honeybees. Ethology 120: 1167-1176
22. Baracchi D, Mazza G, Michelucci E, Pieraccini G, Turillazzi S, Moneti G (2013) Top-down sequencing of Apis dorsata apamin by MALDI-TOF MS and evidence of its inactivity against microorganisms.  Toxicon 71: 105-112
23. Baracchi D, Petrocelli I, Cusseau G, Pizzocaro L, Teseo S, Turillazzi S (2013) Facial markings in the hover wasps: quality signals and familiar recognition cues in two species of Stenogastrinae. Animal Behaviour 85: 203-212
24. Baracchi D, Mazza G, Cini A, Petrocelli I, Hashim RB, Turillazzi S (2013) Social biology of Parischnogaster striatula (Hymenoptera, Stenogastrinae). Tropical Zoology 26: 105-119
25. Gramigni E, Calusi S, Gelli N, Giuntini L, Massi M, Delfino G, Chelazzi G, Baracchi D, Frizzi F, Santini G (2013) Ants as bioaccumulators of metals from soils: body content and tissue-specific distribution of metals in the ant Crematogaster scutellaris. European Journal of Soil Biology 58: 24-31.
26. Dapporto L, Baracchi D, Benassai D, Capretti P, Roversi PF, Turillazzi S (2013) Major changes in the sex differences in cuticular chemical profiles of the western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) after laboratory rearing. Journal of Insect Physiology 59: 738-744
27. Mancini V, Dapporto L, Baracchi D, Luchi N, Turillazzi S, Capretti P (2013) Phenotypic characterization of cryptic Diplodia species by MALDI‐TOF MS and the bias of mycelium age. Forest Pathology 43: 455-461
28. Baracchi D, Fadda A, Turillazzi S (2012) Evidence for antiseptic behaviour towards sick adult bees in honey bee colonies. Journal of Insect Physiology 58: 1589-1596
29. Baracchi D, Mazza G, Turillazzi S (2012) From individual to collective immunity: the role of the venom as antimicrobial agent in the Stenogastrinae wasp societies. Journal of Insect Physiology 58: 188-193
30. Baracchi D, Francese S, Turillazzi S (2011) Beyond the anti-predatory defence: honey bee venom function as a component of social immunity. Toxicon 58: 219-229
31. Baracchi D, Dapporto L, Turillazzi S (2011) Relevance of wing morphology in distinguishing and classifying genera and species of Stenogastrinae wasps. Contribution to Zoology 80: 191-199
32. Mazza G, Arizza V, Baracchi D, et al. (2011) Antimicrobial activity of the Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Bullettin of Insectology 64: 33-41
33. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S (2010) Differences in venom and cuticular peptides in individuals of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) determined by MALDI-TOF MS. Journal of Insect Physiology 56: 366-375
34. Baracchi D, Zaccaroni M, Cervo R, Turillazzi S (2010) Home range analysis in the study of spatial organization on the comb in the paper wasp Polistes dominulus. Ethology 116: 579-587
35. Baracchi D, Cusseau G, Pradella D, Turillazzi S (2010) Defense reaction of Apis mellifera ligustica against the attacks of the European Hornet Vespa crabro. Ethology Ecology & Evolution 22: 281-294
36. Baracchi D, Dapporto L, Teseo S, Hashim R, Turillazzi S (2010) Medium molecular weight polar substances of the cuticle as tools in the study of the taxonomy, systematics and chemical ecology of tropical hover wasps (Hymenoptera: Stenogastrinae). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 48: 109-114
37. Baracchi D, Hashim R, Teseo S, Turillazzi S (2009) Basic social biology and nest architecture of Liostenogaster topographica (Hymenoptera Stenogastrinae). Tropical Zoology 22: 15-23
38. Dapporto L, Bruschini C, Baracchi D, Cini A, Gayubo S, González JA, Dennis RLH (2009) Phylogeography and counter-intuitive inferences in island biogeography: evidence from morphometric markers in the mobile butterfly Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 98: 677-692
39. Turillazzi S, Fanelli D, Theodora P, Lambardi D, Ortolani I, Hashim R, Baracchi D (2008) Determinants of immature brood and nest recognition in a stenogastrine wasp. Ethology Ecology & Evolution 20: 17-33
40. Baracchi D, Turillazzi S, Cervo R (2007) Preliminary investigation on Polistes dominulus worker' spatial distribution on the nest in relation to immature brood position Redia XC: 139-142

- F1000 Recommendations (commentary with DOI)

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Gibson WT et al., Curr Biol 2015, (25):1401-15]. In F1000Prime, 23Jul 2015; DOI: 10.3410/f.725503669.793508177.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Szyszka P et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA2014, (47):16925-30]. In F1000Prime, 04 Mar 2015; DOI: 10.3410/f.725231800. 793504461.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Otti O et al., Trends Ecol Evol (Amst) 2014, 29(11):625-34]. In F1000Prime, 19 Dec 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.719130149.793502500.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Sheehan MJ and Nachman MW, Nat Commun 2014, 5(4800)]. In F1000Prime, 31 Oct 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718877905.793501089.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Van Oystaeyen A et al., Science 2014, 343(6168):287-90]. In F1000Prime, 25 Apr 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718241916.793493967.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Fürst MA et al., Nature 2014, 506(7488):364 6]. In F1000Prime, 24 Feb 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718282911.793491217.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [de Brito Sanchez M et al., Front Behav Neurosci 2014, 8:1-16]. In F1000Prime, 11 Feb 2014; DOI: 10.3410/f.718270012.793490643.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Johnson BR et al., Curr Biol 2013]. In F1000Prime, 25 Oct 2013; DOI: 10.3410/f.718133764.793485646.

Chittka L, Baracchi D: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Greggers U et al., Proc Biol Sci 2013, 280(1759):20130528]. In F1000Prime, 22 Jun 2013; DOI: 10.3410/f.717992980.793478441

- Outreach Papers 

Baracchi D, Tufano L (2018) Ape, patogeni e nattari floreali: un sistema complesso APINSIEME n°1

Tufano, Baracchi D (2016) Apicoltura nomadismo: conseguenze per la salute dell’ape APINSIEME n°8

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2016) I probiotici e prebiotici agiscono sul Nosema ceranae? APINSIEME n°1

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Vitellogenina e senilità nell'ape e nell'alveare II APITALIA n°11

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Vitellogenina e senilità nell'ape e nell'alveare I APITALIA n°10

Baracchi D (2015) Nettari floreali e automedicazione negli impollinatori APITALIA n°9

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Il sistema immunitario dell’ape e dell’alveare II APITALIA n°6

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) Il sistema immunitario dell’ape e dell’alveare I APITALIA n°5

Tufano L, Baracchi D (2015) L’organizzazione socio-spaziale dell’alveare APITALIA n° 3

Savorelli G, Tufano L, Baracchi D (2014) Il capitale proteico dell’alveare APITALIA n°V7

Tufano L, Savorelli G, Baracchi D (2014) Disponibilità di polline nell’alveare APITALIA n°6

Baracchi D, Savorellli G (2014) Gli effetti di carenza di polline sull’alveare APITALIA n°4

Savorelli G, Tufano L, Baracchi D (2014) Immunità d’ape, patogeni e pascolo APITALIA n°1

Baracchi D (2013) La lotta tra api igieniste e la coppia varroa-virus delle ali deformi. L’APIS

Baracchi D (2013) Il veleno me lo metto addosso e sul favo! L’APIS

Savorelli G, Baracchi D (2013) Speciale: Peste americana e Nosema ceranae Apitalia On-line

Baracchi D, Savorelli G (2013) La situazione sanitaria delle api.  APITALIA n° 6

Savorelli G, Baracchi D (2013) Il destino dell’ape ai giorni nostri.  APITALIA n° 11

Baracchi D, Savorelli G (2013) Coevoluzione ospite-parassita ape-nosema.  APITALIA n° 6

Baracchi D (2013) Anche le colonie di api hanno personalità. Apitalia On-line

Baracchi D (2013) L'immunità dell'alveare APITALIA n° 1

Baracchi D (2012) quando il mondo delle api incontra quello dei calaboroni APITALIA n° 12

INVITED SPEAKER 

2021 Plant-pollinator interactions: how flowering plants affect pollinator cognition. Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.

2018 Aminergic underpinnings of pheromonal modulation of olfactory learning and memory formation in honeybees. XI European Congress of Entomology, Naples, Italy

2016 Pheromones as modulators of cognitive phenomena and experience-dependent behaviours in insects. IST, Austria

​2015 Appetitive and aversive pheromones modulate sucrose response threshold in honey bees. IFE-GDR Meeting, Paris, France

​2015 Nestmate recognition in a social wasp: vision and olfaction. SFECA Strasburg, France

​2014 Infected bumblebees self-medicate by increasing the ingestion of nectar toxins. EURBEE Murcia, Spain

FORMATIVE ACTIVITIES

2014: Analytical Software Workshop at the University of Greenwich (Introduction to social network analysis with UCINET).

2009: International PhD course "From Solitary to Superorganism: The Evolution of Insect Societies (organizers: Prof Stefano Turillazzi, Prof. Patrizia d’Ettorre, Dr Daniel Kronauer)

2009: Beekeeping Course. Apiary management and honeybees' diseases (organized by ARPAT Firenze)

2008: XIII Mass Spectrometry Course for PhD students (organized by the Italian Chemical Society)

OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

 2012-2015 Associate Faculty member of F1000Prime (Faculty of 1000)

Guest Editor for a Special Column in Current Zoology:  Behavioural and Cognitive Plasticity in Foraging Pollinators (2018-2019). https://academic.oup.com/cz/pages/foraging_pollinators

Topic Editor for Insects (MDPI) since 2019 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/insects/topic_editors

Editorial Board Member of Diversity (MDPI) since 2019 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/diversity

Associate Editor for Cognition (Frontiers in Psychology) since 2021 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/sections/cognition

Editorial Board Member (Review Editor) of Insect Neurobiology (Frontiers in Insect Science) since 2020  https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/insect-science

Editorial Board Member (Review Editor) of Chemical Ecology (Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution) since 2021  https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/sections/chemical-ecology

Member of  REPRISE (register of the scientific experts at MIUR)

Member of “Collegio del Dottorato di Ricerca in Biologia Evoluzionistica ed Ecologia” at University of Florence 

Member of “Commissione didattica” at University of Florence

Ad-hoc referee for:

Animal Behaviour, Animal Cognition, Apidologie, Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, BioMed Research International, Biologia, BMC Ecology, Behavioural Processes, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Contribution to Zoology, Current Zoology, Ethology, Ethology Ecology & Evolution, FEMS Microbiology Letters, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, F1000Research, Insects, Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal of Chemical Ecology, Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal of Insect Behaviour, Journal of Insect Physiology, Journal of Neuroscience Research, Molecular Ecology, Nature Chemical Biology, Naturwissenschaften, Neotropical Entomology, PLOSONE, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences, Royal Society Open Science, Scientific Reports, Toxicon, Tropical Zoology, ZooKeys.

Organizing Committee

Member of the Organizing Committee for the National Congress of IUSSI (AISASP 2019) Florence

Member of the Organizing Committee for the National Congress of Ethology (SIE 2019) Florence

Professional affiliations:

IUSSI: International Union for the Study of Social Insects

ISN: International Society for Neuroethology

SIE: Società Italiana di Etologia

Webmaster of the IUSSI Italian Section website. https://socialinsectitaly2.wixsite.com/aisasp

My research interests centre around the cognitive abilities and adaptive behaviour of social insects. Research in my Laboratory (https://davidbaracchi.wixsite.com/beelab) has three main lines: 1) the cognitive abilities and neurobiology of pollinators  2) the behavioural ecology of social insects, 3) the impact of natural and anthropic stressors on insect pollinators. Together with my research team I work with small-brained insects, mainly honey bees and bumblebees to tease apart the neuroethological mechanisms and the behavioural rules used by insects to successfully tune to the environment and make economic decisions to survive. I have been spent the last years working on the impact of (bio)pesticides, diseases and other environmental stressors on individual bees and their colonies to improve honey bee health and welfare and to best support wild pollinators such as bumblebees.