Neil McCoy

I'm Neil McCoy, and I'm relatively new to ants (my broader background is in ecology and graphic design). I'm currently working on my MS in zoology at NCSU with Rob R Dunn. My ant-related focus is myrmecochory, but my interest has broadened as I've learned more and more about ants and worked around a lot of folks who are really passionate myrmecologists. Right now my focus is on ant-plant interactions in the Eneabba sandplains of southwestern Australia. My masters project highlights the role two species of Rhytidoponera (violacea and metallica) play in the diverse plant community of the Kwongan. I've followed up my initial seed removal research with some seed fate experiments (with Acacia) in the same region. I'm hopeful to get the chance for a third field season to travel to New Zealand and study R. metallica as an exotic seed disperser. Anyhow, I'm glad Benoit put this forum together and I'm looking forward to seeing a scientific community develop on here as the word spreads.

Neil