Pollinator Webinar Series – Summer 2020

Wednesdays @3PM (EST) – 1h 15 min via zoom

Join us for the Pollinator Webinar Series organized moderated by Tom Butzler and Dr. Margarita Lopez-Uribe from Penn State Extension. These eight webinars will cover a whole range of topics from beekeeping management to wild bee biodiversity and how to create habitat for pollinators. Webinars will take place on consecutive Wednesdays, starting on June 3rd at 3 PM (EST), 2 PM (CST), 1 PM (MST), and 12:00 PM (PST). Even though registration is required, there is no cost for attending these webinars. Find details about the webinar topics and how to register below.

June 3rd – Pollinator Health Challenges: A bee’s perspective (Margarita López-Uribe) – Several bee populations are in decline around the globe. Like for many other animals and plants, the drivers of bee declines include habitat destruction, exposure to pesticides, increased pathogen burden, and climate change. This seminar will explain in detail how these stressors impact bee health throughout each step of the bee’s life cycle. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

June 10th – The three most important steps to ensuring honey bee colony survival over the long term (Robyn Underwood) – Honey bee colony management is essential for survival throughout the year. This seminar will give information about how to manage queen issues, how to monitor and treat for varroa mites, and how to prevent starvation in winter. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

June 17th – Queen rearing basics (Kate Anton) – Overview of working with queens as part of apiary management, queen biology, rearing (on any scale) to increase successful outcomes for beekeepers. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

June 24th – Bee nutritional ecology: from flowers to landscapes (Christina Grozinger) – We know bees need to collect nectar and pollen from flowers, but which flowers provide the best food for bees? Do all bees prefer the same flowering plant species? This seminar will describe studies at the Penn State Center for Pollinator Research aimed at answering these questions, and will provide steps you can take to learn about the floral resources in your gardens and surrounding landscapes, and find the plants that will help the community of bees in your backyard. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

July 1st – Mason bee management for backyard and orchard pollination (Natalie Boyle) – Mason beekeeping is a fun and easy way to harness the pollination power of solitary bees for agricultural producers and backyard gardeners alike. This seminar will introduce you to the mason bee life cycle, and provide instruction on where, when, and how to manage them sustainably and responsibly. [Watch now] [Read Summary]

July 8th – Bumble bee biology and management for pollination (Erin Treanore) – Bumble bees are well-known for their fuzzy appearance and charismatic buzzing as they fly from flower to flower, but did you know these characteristics are part of the reason they’re such great pollinators? Gardeners, farmers, and bee-enthusiasts alike will benefit from learning more about the bumble bee life cycle and why they’re so important to our ecosystems. This seminar will also provide recommendations for landscape management to support these pollinators and discuss the commercial bumble bee industry. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

July 15th – Bee Biodiversity in Pennsylvania (Margarita López-Uribe) – Pennsylvania is home to over 430 species of bees but who are they? How are they different from each other? Are all species native to North America? How can you help conserve bees? You will find answers to all of these questions in this seminar. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

July 22nd – Gardening for pollinators (Connie Schmotzer) – Is your property pollinator-friendly? Learn how to maximize your garden’s potential for supporting a variety of pollinators, especially bees, which require specific nesting habitats and a broad range of flower shapes and types in order to thrive. Also learn some of the best plants to include in your pollinator-friendly yard, tips on planting, and how you can certify your Pennsylvania Pollinator-Friendly Garden. [Watch Now] [Read Summary]

For more information, email Tom Butzler (tmb124.at.psu.edu) or Margarita López-Uribe (mml64.at.psu.edu)