Title: Natural History of Native Bees: Biology, Ecology, Identification, and Conservation

Instructors: Nick Dorian & Max McCarthy

When: June 25th – July 1st, 2023

New England is home to a rich diversity of wild bees. In this introductory course, you’ll develop a deep appreciation for the diversity, ecology, and behavior of these charismatic pollinators. Throughout the week, we will explore a variety of habitats in search of bees and learn skills including, but not limited to, field identification to genus, voucher specimen collection, nest searching, photography, and journaling. Afternoon lab work will reinforce identification skills through microscopy. Coursework will be enriched with evening lectures on related topics including pollination biology, the role of bees in agriculture, and strategies for supporting bees in natural and cultivated spaces. This seminar will be of interest to naturalists, gardeners, farmers, landscape designers, and managers of public and private lands. Ultimately, we will aim to cultivate curiosity about the natural history of bees and their interactions with plants and animals, and leave you with practical, concrete skills for deepening this understanding on your own.

Our course will emphasize bee natural history including, but not limited to, the fundamentals of bee ecology, field identification to genus (and species-level when possible), microscopy of voucher specimens, floral associations, photography, and journaling. 

This course is perfect for students, naturalists, gardeners, farmers, landscape designers, and managers of public and private lands. There is a substantial 30% discount for students.

Please contact Nick Dorian & Max McCarthy for more information