Dr. Olivia Carril and Roy Michelotti will present a talk about native bees and butterflies May 1 at the Los Alamos Nature Center. Photo/Olivia Carril
PEEC News:
The community is invited to learn more about local bees and butterflies, their biology and behavior, at a talk at the Los Alamos Nature Center.
Dr. Olivia Carril is conducting research to discover what native bees live at Bandelier National Monument and will share her findings at this free talk at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 1. Additionally, local butterfly enthusiast Roy Michelotti will be speaking about basic butterfly biology and behavior.
Bees provide an essential ecosystem service in their role as pollinators, yet few know that close to 4,000 species can be found in North America, or that there are roughly 1,000 in New Mexico. Dr. Carril will introduce attendees to New Mexico’s many bee species, presenting beautiful photos of these amazing creatures, details about their life histories, their identifying features. She also will share tips on how to attract them to local neighborhoods and flower patches.
Michelotti will give a talk called “Butterflies: More Than Just Flowers on Wings.” Besides their stunning patterns and colors, Mother Nature has bestowed a trove of truly amazing traits on butterflies. Families and kids of all ages are invited to learn about basic butterfly biology and behavior as a part of this event.
The Department of Public Utilities also will have a table with information about native flowering plants that will thrive, look beautiful, and use less water in local yards. Ask at the DPU table about watering techniques and schedules that reduce water loss due to evaporation and run-off.
For more information about this and other PEEC programs, visit www.peecnature.org, email programs@peecnature.org or call 505.662.0460.
PEEC was founded in 2000 to serve the community of Los Alamos. It offers people of all ages a way to enrich their lives by strengthening their connections to our canyons, mesas, mountains, and skies. PEEC operates the Los Alamos Nature Center at 2600 Canyon Road, holds regular programs and events, and hosts a number of interest groups from birding to hiking to butterfly watching. PEEC activities are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and merchandise. Annual memberships start at $35. To learn more, visit www.peecnature.org.
