* NRWA - Pollinators Walk with Michael Veit

Pollinators Walk with Michael Veit

Saturday, June 4th from 9:00 a.m. to noon
at the NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main Street (Rt. 119) in Groton

When we think of bees, the first thing that comes to mind is honey, but did you know that bees are the most important pollinators world wide, responsible for pollinating about 1/3 of the food we eat, mostly fruits and vegetables? Did you know that in Massachusetts, we have approximately 365 species of bees? Bees live in diverse habitats, where they construct a wide variety of nest types, and they have a wide range of lifestyles from completely solitary to highly complex colonies. Learn more about our native bees at the NRWA's free "Pollinators Walk” program. Michael Veit will be our presenter and will lead our field walk.

His presentation will focus on the diversity of native bees in our region, their life history, as well as some comments about the current status and conservation of native bees. After the presentation we will head into the field to try and observe some of their behaviors, and observe the bees up close and personal.

Veit found his interest in native bees about six years ago and has been surveying, collecting, and studying bees in the Northeast ever since. Veit is in the process of co-authoring a paper on the Bees of Massachusetts with an updated list of bees from other New England states. He is the current chair of the Science Department at Lawrence Academy. Veit went to UNH, where he received his Masters Degree in Entomology.

This event is free and open to the public. Dress appropriately for a field walk; we will car pool to the walk site. Although being stung is unlikely, those with allergies to bees are advised to bring their epi pen in case on an emergency. Space is limited to 25 participants; pre-registration is required. To register for the event, please contact Mark Archambault, NRWA Smart Growth Circuit Rider, at (978) 448-0299, or email Mark Archambault.