CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Next week’s Kaler Science Lecture at Parkland College’s Staerkel Planetarium will feature a discussion on conserving native bees.
The lecture will take place on Friday, February 6 at 7 p.m., and U of I entomology professor Alexandra Harmon-Threatt will present “Conserving Native Bees in Uncertain Times”. The lecture will discuss the science of native bee conservation, which has never been more critical or more difficult.
Prairies are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world, and the loss of the habitat has been detrimental to many native bee communities. Many efforts to conserve prairies and better support native bees are happening, but many questions remain about the effectiveness of these efforts.
Harmon-Threatt will discuss conservation efforts amidst the uncertainty and challenges of climate shifts, increased pesticide pressures, and decreasing available quality habitat.
She earned her Ph.D. in environmental science policy and management at University of California, Berkeley before joining the U of I’s Department of Entomology. Previously, she was a post-doctoral fellow at Washington University in St. Louis. The lecture is part of the James B. Kaler Science Lecture Series, named for U of I astronomer Jim Kaler, who spoke at the series for almost three decades.
Lectures from the series are filmed by Parkland College TV. After the talk, the planetarium will show “Expedition Reef” and “The Dark Side of the Moon.” Admission to most planetarium shows is $8 for adults or $7 for children, Parkland students, or seniors. Tickets for Kaler Lectures cost $2 or are free for the Friends of the Staerkel Planetarium. Tickets may be purchased in person or online.
