(Editor’s Note: The following article was procured from the Wright County website).

Interested in bees and pollinators, but you don’t know where to begin? Check out this upcoming webinar series to help guide one’s apiary ambitions. 

University of Minnesota Extension Educators are excited to bring the webinar series “How can I help pollinators? Honeybees, native bees, or both?”. This three-part series will help inform interested parties before starting in honey production or pollinator habitat planning. 

Join in from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, February 1-3 each afternoon for this free webinar. One must pre-register for this series at www.z.umn.edu/BeeSeries to receive the webinar links. This webinar series will cover the following topics:

Tuesday, February 1 – Pollinators and beekeeping: what’s the difference? – UMN Extension Educator Claire LaCanne, Rice and Steele Counties

Interested .in helping pollinator insects or raising them? Though there can be some overlap, these are two separate, distinct goals. Keeping honeybees is like caring for livestock, with the objective of harvesting honey or utilizing their crop pollination services. Helping our native pollinator insects primarily focuses on providing suitable food and habitat for them. Extension Educator Claire LaCanne will highlight the goals of beekeeping and promoting pollinators and guide one through the differences.

Wednesday, February 2 – Honeybee production: the tiniest livestock – Dr. Katie Lee, UMN Extension Educator in Apiculture.

Thinking about becoming a new beekeeper? There are many compelling reasons to keep honeybees, but before beginning the process, it’s helpful to know the honeybee basics. What equipment will one need? When and how do I order my bees? How can I keep my bees happy and healthy? Dr. Katie Lee will be helping guide persons in the beginning steps of beekeeping.

Thursday, February 3 – Actions to help pollinators – Dr. Elaine Evans, UMN Extension Professor and Researcher in Native Pollinators.

Learn about pollinators present in Minnesota and action steps one can take to support pollinator health and diversity. By following four action steps, one can create a haven for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

To join in for all or one of these webinars, please go to www.z.umn.edu/BeeSeries to register. One only needs to register once to receive access to each topic. The Zoom link will be emailed immediately after one registers. If one is unable to attend the live sessions, one will receive the recording via email after all sessions have been completed. If one has questions about the webinar series or need assistance with registration, please call the local Extension office.

Residents in Wright County may email aausting@umn.edu or call (763) 682-7381.