Photo credit: The Xerces Society / Katie Lamke

Date: August 13, 2024

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Location: Polk County Public Libraries, Saluda Branch

Speaker: Dr. Laurie Hamon, Conservation Biologist for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Bumble bees are familiar and charismatic visitors to our gardens. However, nearly half of southeastern bumble bee species are at risk of extinction. To protect our bees, conservationists need more information about our rare bumble bees and their habitat requirements. The Southeast Bumble Bee Atlas is a community science project that aims to track and understand southeastern bumble bees. This presentation will cover the background of the Southeast Bumble Bee Atlas, our findings so far, and how you can get involved. The Southeast Bumble Bee Atlas is led by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in collaboration with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Division, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Laurie Hamon is an Endangered Species Conservation Biologist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the lead coordinator for the Southeast Bumble Bee Atlas. Laurie earned a PhD in Biology and Entomology from North Carolina State University with a thesis on the pollination biology of Venus flytraps. Laurie’s research interests focus on plant-pollinator interactions through a conservation lens.

The Saluda Library Speaker Series programs are made possible thanks to our partnership with the Polk County Public Libraries Systems and a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation.

Contact Pam Torlina, [email protected], with questions or for more information.