Florida Native Bees: Education, Identification and Hands-On Community Science

**Florida’s Native Bees: Biology, Identification and Conservation**
Sarah Anderson (PhD Candidate) will introduce our group to some of the most common and notable Florida native bee species, including some interesting specialist bees. Her presentation will focus on where to find native bees, how to identify them, and steps we can take as nature enthusiasts to help conserve these bees. Following the program we will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with bees both in a remote laboratory and exploring the Sams House property.

The program will include a hands-on opportunity to learn about native bee biology, search for them in the gardens and trails, examine specimens under a microscope, and participate in adding observations into iNaturalist to contribute to community science.

Florida is home to more than 300 species of native bees, of which 29 of those are endemic. Discover fun facts and experience a bit of a ‘day in the life of a scientist’ while studying samples of a variety of native bee species through a bee-in-a-box experiment.

**Itinerary:**
1245-1300 Welcome and check in
1300-1330 Presentation
1330-1515 Split into two groups (Group A – visit remote lab; Group B – search for bees in the native plant gardens. After 40 minutes, groups will swap activities)
1515-1530 Wrap up and summary of species observed

**Presenter Details:**
Sarah Anderson
PhD Candidate
University of Florida, Department of Entomology & Nematology
Bio: PhD candidate in Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida with experience in data analysis, scientific writing/publication, and experimental design. Interested in technical writing, content writing/development, and technology transfer.