A History of Honeybees in the U.S.

A presentation by Dan Conlon
(Warm Colors Apiary, S. Deerfield)

Wednesday, May 29, at 6:30 p.m.

Dan Conlon will look at how the honeybee, and beekeeping, has evolved from their introduction in the 1600s to today. This is a story about individual beekeepers, the invention of modern agriculture, and the many new challenges facing bees and other pollinators.  He will explore the current facts regarding the decline of bees and recent reports by the EPA and USDA researchers on the Health of Honeybees.  How will this impact our agriculture, food prices, and the local environment? What can we do to increase the number of pollinators in Western Massachusetts?

Dan is a life member of the Eastern Apicultural Society, and a member of the Massachusetts Beekeeper Association.

Join us for this important topic, presented by one of the most knowledgeable experts on beekeeping in Massachusetts.

Native Pollinators in Your Backyard

A presentation by

Tom Sullivan

Wednesday, June 5th, at 6:30 p.m.

As we face the tragic loss of our honey bees in higher numbers than ever before, awareness of how to provide habitat for the 356-plus species of native bees in Massachusetts is of great importance.

Tom Sullivan, a former bee keeper and now a landscape designer, focuses on our high need for pollination services.  He has given talks at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, The Naturalist Club in Springfield, the 40^th Anniversary of the Conway School, of which he is a graduate, and the NOFA Summer Conference.

In his talks, Tom prepares us for the largest pollination crisis on record. His design business, Pollinators Welcome, focuses on native bee habitat.  In his talk, he will outline the basic needs of these most efficient pollinating insects.  He will discuss nesting strategies and flower resources that offer solutions for meeting the double-whammy of preserving our crop pollinators while ensuring pollinator health throughout the ecosystem.

In this talk you will learn strategies for attracting high numbers of native bees to your landscape by protecting, enhancing and providing much-needed habitat.  Emphasis will be placed on bee-scaping practices within the margins of your yards and fields that strengthen the possibility of future generations of these highly beneficial insects.  Abundant resources will also be available.