Events

Dr Jeff Karron

Professor of Biology at UW Milwaukee

Bumble Bee Queens, Nests, and Spring Wildflowers

Dr. Jeff Karron’s talk features striking slow-motion videography to highlight the interdependence of bumble bee queens and spring-flowering perennial plants.  Early-blooming native perennials provide the essential food resources queens need to survive, establish nests, and successfully raise their first brood.  In turn, many spring flowering plants depend heavily on bumble bees for effective pollination and seed production.  All video and photography featured in this presentation were filmed in high quality prairie and woodland sites across southeastern Wisconsin.  The talk highlights the importance of conserving and restoring early-season floral resources to sustain bumble bee populations.