Prior to retirement I regularly taught Entomology for Teachers, Insect Behavior, and Animal Behavior. Since retirement my teaching activities have been mainly through involvement with the UGA study abroad program that annually takes students to Australia or Ecuador and the Galapagos, where I teach a course in field animal behavior. I am also Associate Curator of Hymenoptera for the Entomology Collections of the Georgia Museum of Natural History.

My research centers on insect behavior, particularly wasp behavior. Both field and laboratory approaches, as appropriate to particular questions, are employed. In general, the research questions of greatest interest to me tend to be ecologically and evolutionarily oriented. An enduring research interest is Australian wasps, both solitary and social, with the most recent focus on the giant mason wasps (Abispa spp.) and their nest associates.

A major emphasis over my career has been a commitment to working directly with K-12 teachers to empower them to feel more competent and confident about incorporating insects into their curriculum. My laboratory has developed new curricular materials using insects to enhance the life science curriculum at all levels. A major thrust has been with activities using a small parasitic wasp called WOWBugs, for guided inquiry laboratory experiences. The research underpinning these activities has led to a series of publications with graduate students and other collaborators, including a book WOWBugs: New Life for Life Science.

Selected Publications

Books

Matthews, R. W. and J. R. Matthews. 2010. Insect Behavior. (2nd ed.) Springer, New York, 519pp.

Matthews, J. R. and R. W. Matthews. 2014. Successful Scientific Writing. A Step-by-Step Guide for the Biological and Medical Sciences. 4th Ed. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 294 pp.

WOWBugs and Related Curricular Materials Development/Insects Used in Teaching

James, J. K. and R. W. Matthews. 2017. Gaining traction. Using bess beetles to engage students in scientific inquiry. Science and Children 54(9):45-50.

Matthews, R. W. & J. R. Matthews. 2012. I walk the line: A popular termite activity revisited. The American Biology Teacher 74(7): 490-495.

Matthews, R. W. & J. R. Matthews. 2010. The Wondrous Wowbug. Connect 23(4):8-11. (March-April)    

Guinan, J. A., C. S. Beck, L. S. Blumer, and R. W. Matthews. 2005. Competition within and between species of parasitoid wasps. In: Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching, Volume 26 M. A. O'Donnell, (ed.). Proceedings of the 26th Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), June 8-12, 2004 pp. 213-232.

Beck, C. W., J. A. Guinan, L. S. Blumer, and R. W. Matthews. 2004. Exploring the Lotka-Volterra competition with two species of parasitoid wasps. Teaching issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE). Volume 2, exp. 1 (electronic publication 20 July 2004)

Matthews, R. W. and J. R. Matthews. 2003. Insect courtship and mate attraction. Pp. 59 - 72. In: Exploring Animal Behavior in Laboratory and Field. B. Ploger and K Yasukawa (eds.). Elsevier (Academic Press), NY.

Matthews, R. W. 2002.  When it's new to you both.  Pp. 23-25,. In: Learning from Cases. Unraveling the Complexities of Elementary Science Teaching.  D. J. Tippins, T. R. Koballa, Jr., and B. D. Payne (eds.). Allyn & Bacon Publishing, Needham Heights, MA.

Guinan, J. A. and R. W. Matthews. 2001. Dispersal cues used by parasitic wasps: phototaxis, geotaxis and mated Melittobia. Pp. 369-376 In: Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching, Volume 22 S. J. Karcher, (ed.). Proceedings of the 22st Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), June 4-9, 2000.

Matthews, R. W. 2000. Developing life science instructional materials using a parasitic wasp, Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): A case study. Pp. 427-433 In: The Hymenoptera - Evolution, Biodiversity and Biological Control. Austin, A. D. & Dowton, M. (eds.). CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

Matthews, R. W. 1999. What's that blob of mud on the wall?  Chap. 6.1, pp. 122-126 In: Biology. A Community Context. Speziale, B. J., Leonard, W. H. & Penick, J. E. (eds.). South-Western Educational Publishing, Cincinnati, OH.

Matthews, R. W. and N. Griffin. 1999. Let WOWBugs wow your students!  Florida Science Teacher 13: 25-26.

Guinan, J. A., R. W. Matthews, and J. R. Matthews. 1999. Courtship reaction chains and mate attraction: A two-part laboratory activity using WOWBugs, a new model insect. Pp. 380-404 In: Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching, Volume 21, S. J. Karcher, (ed.). Proceedings of the 21st Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), June 1-5, 1999.

Matthews, R.W. and J. R. Matthews. 1999.  Teaching ecological concepts with mud dauber nests.  Australian Science Teachers Journal 45: 21-26.

Matthews, R. W. 1998.  Teach ecological concepts with mud dauber nests. pp. 380-381 In:  Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching. Proceedings of the 20th Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE). S. J. Karcher (ed.).

Matthews, R. W. 1998.  WOWBugs: Newest insect in the curriculum. Pp. 382-383 In: Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching. Proceedings of the 20th Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE). S. J. Karcher (ed.).

Pyle, E. J., R. W. Matthews, J. R. Matthews, T. R. Koballa, Jr., and L. Flage. 1998.  The lady or the tiger? Insect decision-making investigations.  Science Scope 21: 12-16.
Matthews, R. W. 1997. Teaching ecological interactions with mud dauber nests. American Biology Teacher 59: 152-158.

Matthews, R. W., L. R. Flage, and J. R. Matthews. 1997. Insects as teaching tools in primary and secondary education. Annual Review of Entomology. 42: 269-289.

Pyle, E. J., T. R. Koballa, Jr., R. W. Matthews, and L. R. Flage. 1997.  Bugs in the laboratory: decisions, decisions.... or The lady or the tiger? Science Activities 34: 25-30.

Matthews, R. W., T. R. Koballa, Jr., L. R. Flage, and E. J. Pyle.  1996.  WOWBugs: New Life for Life Science.  Riverview Press, Athens, GA, 318 pp.

Flage, L. R. and R. W. Matthews.  1996.  Affective and cognitive dimensions of 6th grade students involved in an open-ended inquiry laboratory 'mystery organism'.  pp. 92-99, In: 1996 Invertebrates in Captivity Conf. Proc., Tucson (S. Prchal, ed.) Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute, Tucson, AZ.

Melittobia and related research

Tanner, D. A., J. M. Gonzalez, R. W. Matthews, S. B. Vinson & J. P. Pitts. 2011. Evolution of the courtship display of Melittobia (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 60(2): 219-227. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.04.014

Matthews, R. W., J. M. González, J. R. Matthews & L. D. Deyrup. 2009. Biology of the parasitoid, Melittobia (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Annual Review of  Entomology 54:251-266. http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/eprint/MDxFwJvGkhAVP6FSWUts/full/10.1146/annurev.ento.54.110807.090440

Copeland, C. S., R. W. Matthews, J. M. Gonzalez, M. Aluja, & J. Sivinski. 2008. Wolbachia in two geographically isolated populations of Melittobia digitata Dahms (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Neotropical Entomology 37(6):1-8.

Matthews, R. W. & J. M. González. 2008. The acasta conundrum: Polymorphism and synonymy in the parasitoid genus Melittobia (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Zootaxa 1854: 45-54.

González, J. M., R. W. Matthews, & S. B. Vinson. 2008. Distribution and host records of Melittobia Westwood, 1847 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from México. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 79: 529- 531.

González, J. M. & R. W. Matthews. 2008. Female and male polymorphism in two species of Melittobia parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Florida
Entomologist 91(2):162-169.

Matthews, R. W. and L. D. Deyrup. 2007. Female fighting and host competition among four sympatric species of Melittobia (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) Great Lakes Entomologist 40(1-2):16-26.

Deyrup, L. D. and R. W. Matthews. 2007. Examining the relatedness of behaviors through experimentation: Switching on and off chewing and feeding behavior in a parasitic wasp. Journal of Ethology 25(2): 205-208.

Deyrup, L. D. and R. W. Matthews. 2007. The effect of gland secretions on escape chewing in Melittobia (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), including cross-species investigations. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 16(1): 7-10.

Deyrup, L. D., Matthews, R. W. and Deyrup, M. 2006. Feeding and siblicidal cannibalism in a male parasitic wasp (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Florida Entomologist 89(2): 135-140.

Deyrup, L. D., Rivers, D. B., and Matthews, R. W. 2006. Venom from the ectoparasitic wasp Melittobia digitata Dahms (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) induces paralysis and developmental delay in natural and factitious hosts. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99(6): 1199-1205.

Deyrup, L. D., R. W.  Matthews, and J. M. González. 2005. Cooperative chewing behavior in Melittobia digitata is stimulated by structural cues and a pheromone present in venom extracts. Journal of Insect Behavior 18: 293-304.

González, J. G. and R. W. Matthews. 2005. An annotated bibliography of Melittobia (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Carribbean Journal of Science Special Publication Number 8, 41 pp.

Silva-Torres, C. S. A., R. W. Matthews, J. R. Ruberson, and W. J. Lewis. 2005. Olfactory cues in host finding by Melittobia digitata Dahms (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 98(4): 595-600.

Silva-Torres, C., R. W. Matthews, J. R. Ruberson, and W. J. Lewis. 2005. Role of chemical cues and natal rearing effect in host recognition by the parasitic wasp, Melittobia digitata. Entomological Science 8: 355-362.

González, J. M. and R. W. Matthews. 2005. Courtship of the two female morphs of Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Florida Entomologist 88(3): 258-267.

Matthews, R. W., L. D. Deyrup, and J. M. González. 2005. Increased male sex ratio among Brachypterous progeny in Melittobia femorata, a sib-mating parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Insect Science 12: 419-424.

González, J. M., J. Abe,and R. W. Matthews. 2004. Offspring production and development in the parasitoid wasp Melittobia clavicornis (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Japan. Entomological Science 7: 14-19.

González, J. G. and R. W. Matthews. 2004. Species of Melittobia (Hymenoptera:Eulophidae) established in Bahamas, Costa Rica, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Florida Entomologist 87(4): 619-620.

González, J. M., J. B. Terán, and R. W. Matthews. 2004. Biology of Melittobia acasta (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Carribean Journal of Science 40: 52-61.

Deyrup, L. D. and R. W. Matthews. 2003. Host preference and utilization by Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in relation to mating status. Journal of Entomological Science 38: 512-517.

Deyrup, L. D., M. Deyrup, and R. W. Matthews. 2003. Paralyzation and developmental delay of a factitious host by Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Journal of Entomological Science 38: 533-535.

Hartley, C.S. and R.W. Matthews. 2003. The effect of body size on male-male combat in the parasitoid wasp Melittobia digitata Dahms (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).Journal of Hymenoptera Research 12: 272-277.

Deyrup, L. D. and R. W. Matthews. 2003. A simple technique for milking the venom of a small parasitic wasp, Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Toxicon 42: 217-218.

Cooperband, M. F., R. W. Matthews, and S. B. Vinson. 2003. Factors affecting the reproductive biology of Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and failure to meet the sex ratio predictions of Hamilton's local mate competition theory. Entomologia experientia et applicata 109: 1-12.

Consoli, F. L., H. J. Williams, S. B. Vinson, R. W. Matthews, and M. F. Cooperband. 2002. trans-Bergamotenes - the male pheromone of the ectoparasitoid Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera:Eulophidae). Journal of Chemical Ecology 28: 1675-1689.

González, J. M. and R. W. Matthews. 2002. Development and sex ratio of Melittobia australica and M. digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) on Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) and Trypoxylon politum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Great Lakes Entomologist 35: 85-91.

Australian wasp biology

Matthews, R. W. & J. R. Matthews. 2010. A unique form of interspecific nest parasitism by Pseudabispa paragioides, a solitary Australian wasp. Journal of Insect Science 10:160 available online: http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.1673/031.010.14120

Matthews, R. W. & J. R. Matthews. 2009. Nesting behavior of Abispa ephippium (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae): Extended parental care in an Australian mason wasp,” Psyche, 15 pages, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/851694

Matthews, R. W. and J. R. Matthews. 2004. Biological notes on three species of the giant Australian mason wasp, Abispa (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 77(4): 573-583.

Matthews, R. W. and I. D. Naumann. 2002. Descriptions and biology of nine new species of Arpactophilus (Hymenoptera:Crabronidae), with a key to described Australian species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 11: 101-133.

Goodisman, M. A. D., R. W. Matthews, and R. H. Crozier. 2002. Mating and reproduction in the wasp Vespula germanica.  Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 51: 497-502.

Goodisman, M. A. D., R. W. Matthews, and R. H.  Crozier. 2001. Hierarchical genetic structure of the introduced wasp Vespula germanica in Australia.  Molecular Ecology 10: 1423-1432.

Matthews, R. W. 2000. A new species of Nitela (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae; Larrinae) from Australia with notes on the nests and prey of two species. Journal of Hymenoptera Research  9: 41-47.

Goodisman, M. A. D., R. W. Matthews, J.P. Spradbery, M. E. Carew, and R. H. Crozier. 2000. Reproduction and recruitment in perennial colonies of the introduced wasp Vespula germanica. Journal of Heredity 92: 346-349.

Matthews, R. W. 2000.  Nesting biology of the Australian stem-nesting wasp Rhopalum bendorense Leclerq (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae). Australian Entomologist 27: 1-4.

Matthews, R. W.  2000. Nesting biology of the stem-nesting wasp Psenulus interstitialis Cameron (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Pemphredoninae) on Magnetic Island.Queensland. Australian Journal of Entomology 39: 25-28.

Matthews, R. W., M. A. D. Goodisman, A. D. Austin, and R. Bashford. 2000. The introduced English Wasp, Vespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera:Vespidae) newly recorded invading native forests in Tasmania. Australian Journal of Entomology 39: 177-179.

Other

Turillazzi, S., R. W. Matthews, D. Pradella, F. Meucci, & D. Baracchi. 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. DOI:103897/JHR.41.8515    

González, J. M., J. Piñango, D. Blanco, and R. W. Matthews. 2005. On the mass aggregations of Polistes versicolor (Oliver) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) along the Northern Cordillera of Venezuela, South America. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 14: 15-21.

Matthews, R. W. and J. R. Matthews. 2005. Biological notes on ground-nesting digger wasps from western Nebraska. Prairie Naturalist 37(2): 61-71.

González, J. G., R. W. Matthews, and J. R. Matthews. 2005. Comparative development and competitive ability of Dibrachys pelos Grissell (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on various potential hosts. Florida Entomologist 88: 49-54.

Matthews, R. W. and J. M. González. 2004. Nesting biology of Zeta argillaceum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) in southern Florida, U.S. Florida Entomologist 87: 37-40.

Jenkins, D. A. and R. W. Matthews. 2004. Cavity-nesting Hymenoptera in disturbed habitats of Georgia and South Carolina: Nest architecture and seasonal occurrence. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society  77: 203-214.

Jenkins, D. A. and R. W. Matthews. 2003. Association of soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) population decline with red imported fire ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).Journal of Entomological Science.  38: 706-710.

Matthews, J. and B. Matthews. 2000. Consuming passions. Nature Australia 26 (11): 42-49.