Andrew Suarez
The Distinguished Naturalist Award is given annually to an active midcareer scientist who has made significant contributions to the knowledge of a particular ecosystem or group of organisms and who, through this work, has illuminated key principles of evolutionary biology and an enhanced appreciation of natural history. The winner of the 2025 Distinguished Naturalist Award is Dr. Andrew Suarez (University of Illinois).
Dr. Suarez is an ant fanatic. In the best tradition of a naturalist, he combines extensive knowledge of ant biology with field observations and elegant experiments to study ant adaptations and ant impacts on other species. He is best known for his work on invasive species, tracing the history of invasions and studying species in their native range. In one early study he documented real-time extirpation of native ant species, plus niche shifts in the survivors, as the invasive Argentine ant moved through a San Diego canyon. Visiting Argentina, he found Argentine ants to occupy locally circumscribed colonies in their native range. Then, with colleagues he demonstrated that most of the Californian Argentine ants belonged to one super colony, hence are not aggressive to each other and rise to high numbers. In a second line of research, Dr. Suarez has studied bizarre adaptations collaborating with experts from other disciplines. Here his most draw dropping research has been on how species of trap-jaw ants leap with speed and distance to escape from predators such as ant lions. Dr. Suarez’s enthusiasm for ants and science spills over to his extensive public and student outreach. Readers of this citation are encouraged to attend his eloquent and engaging lectures if they have the opportunity.