By Kate Halstead, WSU Extension
EVERETT, Wash. – Learn how bees and other essential pollinators are faring and what you can do to increase their numbers during Pollinator Passion Weekend July 24-26 at Washington State University Snohomish County Extension, 600 128th St. SE, Everett, inside McCollum Park.
Friday 7-9:30 p.m.
Rich Hatfield, endangered species biologist for the nonprofit conservation Xerces Society, will discuss converting almost any land into pollinator habitat. Learn which plants area pollinators prefer and how to combine them in the landscape.
Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Bumble bee biology, ecology, identification, tracking, observation, photography, threats and protection will be covered. Participants will learn about Bumble Bee Watch, a new citizen science project to track and conserve North American bumble bees.
Vendors will have products and books available including bee houses; supplies for solitary bees, bumble bees and mason bees; and plants to attract pollinators.
Sunday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
A meadow field trip, location to be announced, will focus on live capture, identification and release of bumble bees and other pollinators. Leaders will be Hatfield, Sharon Collman and Dave Pehling. Dress for the weather and bring plenty of drinking water.
Registration costs $25 Friday; $75 Saturday; $15 Sunday; all days $90; and all for a couple $140. Those registered for the weekend or Saturday will receive one copy of the book “Conserving Bumble Bees” by the Xerces Society.
Register online at http://PollinatorWeekend.BrownPaperTickets.com or fill out the form at http://snohomish.wsu.edu/PollinatorWeekend and mail with a check.
For more information about the program, contact Sharon Collman, 425-357-6025 or collmans@wsu.edu. For information on registration, contact Karie Christensen, 425-357-6039, christensen4@wsu.edu.
About the instructors
Hatfield has authored several publications on bumble bees. He has investigated native bee pollination in agricultural systems in the Central Valley of California and studied endangered butterflies in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Collman is the WSU Snohomish County Extension educator for horticulture and integrated pest management. She has extensive experience gardening to attract insects and has authored articles on butterfly gardening.
Pehling is an extension professional who teaches about pollinators including mason, bumble and honey bees. He has co-taught Master Beekeeper’s Apprenticeship classes for five years and is a certified journeyman beekeeper.
Contacts:
Sharon Collman, WSU Extension, 425-357-6025, collmans@wsu.edu
Kate Halstead, WSU Extension communications, 360-794-6081, khalstead@wsu.edu