Join our members-only tour to learn about our native bees with the experts at the USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program. This group designs and develops large and small-scale surveys for native bees including identification tools and keys. These tools are an essential element in identifying and documenting local species and allow researchers to take accurate and detailed photographs of native bees and the plants and insects they interact with here in Maryland.
We will tour the lab and photography studio as well as the garden. The USGS bee photography collection is found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/.
Bring a net if you want to catch bees. Should the weather be wet, we will help organize old specimens in another building close by.
We will meet at the Patuxent Research Refuge National Visitor Center and carpool for ten minutes to the lab. Carpooling is mandatory due to limited parking. After our lab tour, you are welcome to explore the visitor center area. Several hiking trails begin near there as well as a bird blind and gift shop. Visitor center info is here: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/patuxent-research/patuxent-visitor-center.
Difficulty: Easy
Remember
- The exact meeting location will be listed in your confirmation email after payment has been received.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants to protect your arms and legs.
- Bring water, lunch, snacks, sunblock, tick, and insect spray. We may have time to eat lunch on-site.
- Poison oak can be found on the trails.
- Bring your camera and accessories.
- Bring insect nets, if you have one and want to net bees.
- Bring binoculars and loupes/hand lenses, a few will be available to borrow.
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Anyone allergic to honey bees must have their own EpiPens and/or abstain from netting.
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Internet and cell service can be spotty.
- Ages 12 and up.
NEW – Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made seven or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within seven days of the event will not receive a refund. Events with fees of $10 or less are not refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.
For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.