**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION AND DECLINES IN BENEFICIAL INSECTS HAVE SPARKED INITIATIVES TO INCREASE HABITAT BY RESTORING AGRICULTURAL LAND. DESPITE POSSESSING CRUCIAL RESOURCES, RESTORATIONS ARE OFTEN CONTAMINATED WITH AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS SUCH AS NEONICOTINOID INSECTICIDES. SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE GAPS EXIST REGARDING THE TRANSLOCATION AND DETOXIFICATION OF THESE CHEMICALS IN WILD PLANTS AND BEES COMMONLY FOUND IN RESTORATION ECOSYSTEMS. FURTHERMORE, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW NEONICOTINOIDS AFFECT PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND THE POTENTIAL SYNERGISTIC CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY IMPACT BENEFICIAL INSECTS. THIS PREDOCTORAL RESEARCH PROJECT CONDUCTED BY JONATHAN TETLIE (PROJECT DIRECTOR AND DOCTORAL CANDIDATE) AND ADVISED BY DR. ALEXANDRA HARMON-THREATT (PRIMARY MENTOR AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR), WILL CENTER AROUND THREE OBJECTIVES RELATED TO THE FATE OF NEONICOTINOIDS IN NATURAL AREAS AND THE COMPLEX INTERACTIONS THAT THEY CREATE BETWEEN PLANTS AND INSECTS: 1) QUANTIFY CLOTHIANIDIN TRANSLOCATION, PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITE ALTERATION, AND FLORAL FITNESS OUTCOMES IN FOUR PRAIRIE PLANTS COMMONLY FOUND IN RESTORATION SEED MIXES, 2) COMPARE ARTHROPOD POLLINATOR, PREDATOR, AND HERBIVORE ACTIVITY BETWEEN CONTAMINATED AND CONTROL PLANTS, AND 3) QUANTIFY THE INTERACTION BETWEEN PLANT METABOLITES (CHARACTERIZED IN OBJECTIVE 1) AND CLOTHIANIDIN ON THE SURVIVAL OF THE MANAGED POLLINATOR, MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA.