WOOSTER, Ohio Ohio State Universitys Secrest Arboretum will celebrate National Pollinator Week with a free public program from 2-4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22.
Roger Downer, an entomologist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), the home of the arboretum, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, will talk about pollinators, why theyre at risk, why theyre needed and ways backyard gardeners can help them. Hell then lead a walk to see them.
Well see butterflies, some hummingbirds, certainly some bees, beetles, flies, even some wasps, Downer said. Well look at different plants and their attributes not just as food sources for pollinators but, just as important, as places for them to raise their families.
National Pollinator Week, June 21-27, recognizes ââ¬Åthe valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles, says the website of the Pollinator Partnership.
Pollinator populations are falling, according to a National Research Council study, in large part because of habitat loss, but also, in the case of managed honey bees, because of parasites and Colony Collapse Disorder.
Well use the event to discuss the current status of pollinators, Downer said why were interested in them, why theyre a concern, why theyre important and what we can do to improve their lot.
Meet at the arboretums Seaman Orientation Plaza, about 1.7 miles from OARDCs main entrance.
For more information, call 330-464-2148 or go to http://secrest.osu.edu/.
OARDC is the research arm of Ohio Stateââ¬â¢s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
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Caption:
Discover honey bees like this one plus flies, beetles, butterflies and hummingbirds when Secrest Arboretum celebrates National Pollinator Week June 22. (K.D. Chamberlain image)
Links: National Pollinator Week, http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2010.htm
Pollinator Partnership, http://pollinator.org/
Secrest Arboretum, http://secrest.osu.edu/