The honey bee gut microbiome is influenced by a mixture of ecological factors, such as invasion by external strains or parasites, and by evolutionary factors, such as drift, selection, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Despite long-standing theoretical debate, it is not well known how short-term evolution of host-associated microbial species feeds back and affects the interactions within the local community – especially in a complex microbial environment such as the honey bee gut microbiome. Further, it is not well-known how, and to what frequency, interactions between mobile genes and their hosts affect the evolution and composition of honey bee microbial communities. To address the influence of mobile gene ecology and evolution in the honey bee microbiome, GEMS graduate student Chris Robinson, in collaboration with Irene Newton, Adam Dolezal, and Rachel Whitaker, will conduct longitudinal analysis of apiaries at IU and UIUC.