Join Stephanie Frischie and Jennifer Hopwood of the Xerces Society for this virtual short course. Healthy, living soil and its functions are created and maintained by fungi, bacteria, plants and by invertebrate animals as diverse as annelids, springtails, and firefly larvae, among others. Soil invertebrates are fundamental to soil health and create soil structure, cycle organic matter, consume weed seeds and prey on crop pests. This online short course is intended for NRCS staff, Soil and Water Conservation staff, Extension Educators, farmers and other agricultural professionals. Participants will learn about common soil invertebrates, their ecology and roles in soil health, scouting methods, and management strategies to increase beneficial soil animal populations.  For more information such as the course agenda and learning objectives, please click here.

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Join Katie Lamke, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist with the Xerces Society, in a collaborative effort to track and conserve Nebraska's native bumble bees through this virtual training. The Nebraska Bumble Bee Atlas is a statewide community science project aimed at tracking and conserving our native bumble bees. You will learn about bumble bee biology, their conservation status, how to identify the 20 species found in Nebraska, and how to participate in the Atlas. This workshop will equip you with the skills needed to conduct an Atlas survey, including how to net and photograph bumble bees, and how to submit your findings to the project. The Atlas is a catch-and-release project so no bumble bees are harmed during the surveys.

Anyone with an interest in supporting pollinators is encouraged to join - No experience is necessary to participate in the Atlas.

Click here for more information and to register. 

Lead by Rich Hatfield, Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist with the Xerces Society, this workshop will address the ecology of bumble bees, including their conservation status and the threats they face.  Also included will be best management practices for bumble bees as well as a process to improve these recommendations for California.  Finally, the workshop will cover identification tips for California bumble bees, known ranges of imperiled species, and survey methods to detect their presence.
 

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Join Katie Lamke, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, in a collaborative effort to track and conserve Missouri's native bumble bees through this virtual training. The Missouri Bumble Bee Atlas is a statewide community science project aimed at tracking and conserving our native bumble bees. Join us in this two-part workshop to learn about bumble bee biology, their conservation status, how to identify the 10 species found in Missouri, and how to participate in the Atlas. This workshop will equip you with the skills needed to conduct an Atlas survey, including how to net and photograph bumble bees, and how to submit your findings to the project. The Atlas is a catch-and-release project so no bumble bees are harmed during the surveys.

Anyone with an interest in supporting pollinators is encouraged to join - No experience is necessary to participate in the Atlas.

Click here for more information and to register for both sessions.