News and Stories

by Fia Cifuentes, Sustainable Communities Advocate and Pollen Nation Co-Coordinator

It may be cold and cloudy now, but winter is the perfect time to start daydreaming about sunny skies and warmer weather, about digging in the dirt and spending time in our gardens and for some of us, our beehives. This January, join members of the Zoo’s Pollen Nation as they share their expertise, experience, and passion for the honey bee and other pollinators critical to our wellbeing. Learn the basics of bee biology and natural bee history, what equipment you might need for beekeeping, what plants are best for pollinators in our region, and the symbiotic morphology between bees and plants. Classes will include lectures and discussions, but will not include hands-on beekeeping training. All proceeds benefit bee conservation.

Each class is $14 nonmembers/$10 members
For all three, $40 nonmembers/$28 members

To register or for more info, visit http://cincinnatizoo.org/education/adult-programs/

Part I: The Marvelous Bee
Tuesday, January 17th from 7-8:30pm
Learn about the natural history of the honeybee and who makes up the hive. We’ll cover the life cycles and jobs of each bee, and how the colony works as a single organism.

Part II: Pollen Nation’s Lessons Learned
Tuesday, January 24th from 7-8:30pm
Members of Pollen Nation will share experiences and lessons learned during their first three years of beekeeping. Discover what equipment is needed, and what to expect when starting out as a beginning beekeeper.

Part III: Planting for Pollinators
Tuesday, January 31st from 7-8:30pm
Trees and weeds for bees! Find out what the best plants in our region are to support pollinators in your own landscapes and gardens. Combine thse plants to create the best buffet for pollinators! At the same time, learn and discover bee/plant symbiotic morphology.

Join us for one, or all three, of these exciting classes. All interest levels welcome! Pre-registration is required. Questions? Contact us at [email protected]