Bee City USA

What Bee is That? An Introduction to Commonly Encountered Bees of the US
2022-05-12 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
By May, spring will have arrived across the US and with it, many bees will be emerging and seeking out places to forage and nest — and you might be surprised at how many different species can be found in gardens, parks, and other green spaces across our neighborhoods and hometowns. Matthew Shepherd, Director of Outreach & Education, will introduce you to commonly encountered bees, with notes on their diversity and behaviors, how to identify them, and their habitat needs.
This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.
Click here for more information and to register.

Imperiled Butterflies in the Intermountain West: Biology and conservation strategies for the Four Corners States
2022-05-18 10:00 - 23:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Recent research on western butterflies has highlighted the influences of climate change, pesticides, and other stressors in the decline of many butterfly species across our western landscapes. These declines are not limited to species with small ranges, but also include widespread species like the west coast lady (Vanessa annabella), ruddy copper (Tharsalea rubidus), and others. Join Kevin Burls, Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Advocate, as he highlights some of the butterfly species most at risk of decline in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado, based on a recent west-wide assessment by Xerces staff and collaborating scientists, and will discuss the best ways to conserve existing populations of these imperiled pollinators.
This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.
Click here to register for free.

Kevin Burls
Endangered Species Conservation Advocate
As Conservation Advocate for the Endangered Species program, Kevin’s efforts with the Xerces Society focus on protecting the hundreds of butterfly species that inhabit deserts, forests, and grasslands across the western United States. Before working with the Xerces Society, Kevin was the Integrated Pest Management Educator for the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, with a focus on native pollinators and beneficial insects. In addition, Kevin and his wife co-founded the invertebrate science education nonprofit Nevada Bugs & Butterflies in Reno, Nevada in 2012. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Reducing Reliance on Pesticides in New Mexico (In-Person & Live-Streamed)
2022-06-02 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Denver) | Online
Los Alamos Education Center
Los Alamos, New Mexico

The city of Los Alamos in New Mexico is developing an integrated pest management plan. What does this mean? Why is this important? Join Emily Ruth Spindler, Xerces Southwest Pesticide Program Specialist, to learn the basics about pesticides, unpack the implications of pesticide use on pollinators and the environment, and discover alternative pest management strategies for southwestern cities like Los Alamos. This webinar will be recorded and available on Xerces’ YouTube channel after the event.
Click here to learn more and register for free.

Promoting Pollinators in Your Yard
2022-06-23 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Denver)
Free webinar: Have you been hearing a lot about pollinators lately? From monarchs to honey bees, these guys have been getting a lot of attention in the news. Come find out what all the “buzz” is about. In this class you will learn about the importance of pollinators, theories on why they’re in decline, and how you can promote pollinators in your yard.

Bee Day in the Garden
2022-06-23 16:00 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Garden, United States
Keep Tyler Beautiful will be celebrating the 2nd Annual Bee Day in the Garden on Thursday, June 23 from 4 – 6 p.m. CST at the Tyler Rose Garden, located at 420 Rose Park Drive. This event is a culmination of a week’s long celebration of National Pollinator Week and celebrates our favorite pollinator, the honey bee.
We invite the community to come and learn about bees and other pollinators and their importance. The celebration includes activities for children, honey vendors, face painters, and local food trucks. Educational workshops will be offered for residents interested in becoming beekeepers or planting a pollinator garden. The workshops will be led by the East Texas Beekeepers Association and the Smith County Master Gardeners.
The City of Tyler is one of nine cities in Texas to be designated a Bee City USA, under the Keep Tyler Beautiful program. Our mission as an affiliate is to educate and raise awareness in the community on the importance of all pollinator species, including honey bees.
All Bee Day in the Garden activities and educational workshops are free of cost. Vendors and food trucks will be fee.
For more information on the Bee City USA and Keep Tyler Beautiful program please contact Erin Garner, Community Coordinator at KTyB@tylertexas.com or (903) 531-1335 or visit https://bit.ly/BeeDayintheGarden

Pollinator Hillside Planting Party
2022-06-24 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Garden, United States
Join us to plant some powerhouse pollinator plants at the pollinator hillside at Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands in SE Seattle in honor of Pollinator Week. Explore the farm! Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy on site after the work party.

Bring Back the Pollinators: Growing Pollinator-Friendly Flowers and More
2022-06-30 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Join Jennifer Hopwood, Xerces Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, as she walks through how to turn your yard into a pollinator haven. Learn about Xerces resources such as plant lists, habitat assessment guides, and landscaping tools. Bring your questions and curiosity.
This is the first webinar in our four-part Bring Back the Pollinators series.
This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Jennifer Hopwood
Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist -The Xerces Society
Jennifer provides resources and training for pollinator and beneficial insect habitat management and restoration in a variety of landscapes. She oversees a team of four USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service partner biologists and works closely with the NRCS. Jennifer has authored a number of publications and articles, and is co-author of several books, including Farming with Native Beneficial Insects, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, and a roadside revegetation manual. Jennifer has a master’s degree in entomology from the University of Kansas. Along with work as a research specialist conducting invertebrate field research and identification, Jennifer was an instructor in biology and environmental science at Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College prior to joining Xerces in 2009.

Bring Back the Pollinators: Managing Pests While Protecting Pollinators
2022-07-21 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
How can we manage pests while protecting pollinators in home yards? Good garden pollinator habitat requires flowering plants and undisturbed places for pollinators to nest, but home landscapes also need to be protected from pesticides. Join Aaron Anderson, Xerces Pesticide Program Specialist, to touch on a few key pesticide concerns, and talk about alternative methods to reduce pest pressure. In particular, we will learn about some of the common beneficial insects that pollinator plantings can support and how they contribute to pest control.
This is the second webinar in the four-part series Bring Back the Pollinators.
This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.
Click here for more information and to register for free.

Aaron Anderson
Pesticide Program Specialist – The Xerces Society
Aaron Anderson works with the public and Xerces staff to reduce pesticide use in residential landscapes, including promoting alternative pest control measures and pollinator-friendly gardening practices. Prior to joining Xerces in 2022, he researched pollinator conservation in urban landscapes, restored habitat for several endangered butterfly species, and worked in insect biocontrol. In 2021 he was an AAAS Mass Media Fellow at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where he reported science and business stories. Aaron has a PhD from Oregon State University, and outside of work you can probably find him riding his bike, science writing, or fiddling with old cameras.

Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA Open House: Pesticide Reduction Strategies
2022-07-27 10:00 - 23:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Reducing pesticide impacts and use is a key component of being a Bee City or Campus, but how this is achieved varies from one region to another as well as the specific location (is it a garden or a park, a formal planting or a natural area?). Join Sharon Selvaggio and Aaron Anderson of the Xerces Society’s Pesticide Team for an “ask me anything”-style open house! We’ll do a short presentation on practical ways to reduce pesticide usage, followed by an extended Q&A session on anything Bee City/Campus or pesticide-related. This session is great for new or longtime participants.
Bring your questions and please feel free to share your favorite pesticide reduction strategies with the group! This webinar will be recorded and available upon request: laura.rost@xerces.org.

Speakers:
Sharon Selvaggio
Pesticide Program Specialist, Parks, Nurseries & Natural Areas Lead – The Xerces Society
Aaron Anderson
Pesticide Program Specialist – The Xerces Society
Laura Rost
​Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA Coordinator – The Xerces Society
