- This event has passed.
BHAS Monthly Speaker Series – The Humble Bumble/David Jennings
December 10, 2015 @ 7:00 pm-9:30 pm
Across the US there are approximately 48 species of bumble bees. Within Washington’s boundaries, 27 or so of these species are represented. Bumble bees are, within the native pollinators community, “Glamorous Megafauna”. They are big (for an insect), relatively friendly (not like yellow jackets) and colorful. Bumbles serve as a great gateway into our native bees and other pollinators. Learn them, love them, protect them!
Field identification of bumble bees is harder than it would seem. Although they seem like they should be easy enough, in practice it is much more challenging. Not only do other insect try to look like bumble bees (Batesian mimicry) but different species of bumble bees in a given area tend to look like each other (Mullerian mimicry). A given species may have as many as 17 different phenotypes—and you thought 4 year gulls were challenging!
Warm blooded? Yep, warm blooded. On a cool spring day with an ambient temperature of 60 degrees, the bumble bee has an internal temperature of about 90 degrees, with little fluctuation. It’s not just mammals, birds, blue fin tuna and great white sharks. Now the warm blooded club is known to include the humble bumble.
Come learn more about our native bumble bees, their behavior, ecology and conservation issues. Learn how to identify many of our local species.
David Jennings has an academic background in fish and wildlife ecology and conservation. He has worked with a variety of environmental organizations over the years, including the Sierra Club, Audubon Society and the Gifford Pinchot Task Force. He recently ended a four year stint as a state Fish & Wildlife Commissioner. David’s current conservation focus is on our native pollinators. He spent much of the last two summers stalking Washington’s wild Bumble Bees.
BHAS speaker series is held on the second Thursday of each month (except March, June, July, and August) at the Temple Beth Hatfiloh (corner of 8th and Washington in downtown Olympia, a block west of Timberland Library). Arrive at 7 p.m. to socialize; programs begin promptly at 7:30 pm.