*Paid Class* The Buzz in Your Garden: Bumble Bees of Wisconsin Ecology, Identification and Conservation
Public Welcome Paid Event Program/Speaker Presentation Public Restroom
The Buzz in Your Garden: Bumble Bees of Wisconsin Ecology, Identification and Conservation
Instructors: Judy Cardin and Susan Carpenter
Format: In person
Dates/Times: Sunday, July 27, 9:30 am-4:00 pm (half hour lunch on your own; bring a packed lunch)
Location: UW Arboretum Madison
Elective (6 hours)
Our charming and peaceful pollinators need your help. Half of Wisconsin’s bumble bees species are threatened. This course shows how each of us can make a difference. Learn what is causing bee population declines, and how to support their native habitat and flower needs. Along the garden path we will learn to identify many of Wisconsin’s 20 bumble bee species. Participants will delve into the life cycles of bumble bees, and flower/bee mutualism resulting from the evolved phenologies of bumble bees and the native flowers they visit for nectar and pollen. We will also explore nesting and hibernation habitat needs, and life inside the bumble bee nest. The curriculum, a combination of classroom and field time, is designed to equip learners with the skills to identify Wisconsin bumble bee species, and the female, male and queen castes of species. We will take an in-depth look at floral and habitat needs of the endangered Rusty patched bumble bee to understand the selection and cultivation of appropriate native flowers and habitat. Additionally, the course addresses the threats to native bumble bee populations and their habitats, including habitat loss, disease, pesticides and climate change. Recommended book: Bumble Bees of North America by Paul Williams et al.
An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.