See what's going on at the Vermont Atlas of Life: webinars, lectures, nature walks, other programs. Did you miss a webinar or lecture? Check out our recorded events and watch them anytime.

Online Class: Bees of the Northeast

JUNE 1 - JULY 31
With over 300 species in Vermont, bees are so much more than the source of honey. This course will introduce you to a mindblowing diversity of shapes, sizes, and life histories found in almost any habitat. While most species can only be identified by using a microscope, we will focus on the species and groups that are relatively distinctive to the naked eye. By the end of the course, participants should be able to identify most bees to the genus level, which is certainly not a common skill! Guided field challenges will be based on the flowers and bees currently active. With so little known about the distribution of some of these species, it's definitely possible to find new state records right in your own backyard! Learn more »

Webinar: Vermont Bumble Bees: Natural History and Conservation

July 29, 2020

The Salisbury Conservation Commission Presents: Vermont Bumble Bees: Natural History and Conservation Free Zoom Webinar When: Jul 29, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time Register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Wild bees pollinate wildflowers and most crops in Vermont, including blueberries, tomatoes, squash, and one of the state’s essential commodities: apples. But about half of Vermont’s bumble bee species have either vanished or are in serious decline. After conducting the state’s most extensive search for bumble bees, and combing through historical records from museum collections, the Vermont Bumble Bee Atlas concluded that four of Vermont’s 17 bumble bee species appear to have gone extinct. While the researchers cannot pinpoint what may have caused these sudden bumble bee population declines-- habitat loss, parasites, pesticides, and climate change have all been implicated by recent bee studies in North America. Now, conservationists here in Vermont and across the continent are sounding alarms. Join Vermont Center for Ecostudies biologist and Outdoor Radio host Kent McFarland as he shares the amazing world of Bumble Bees and their conservation. Register »