Sheridan College science lecture focuses on the bee

Sheridan College’s next science lecture will look at bees and how they cope with environmental and other challenges.

Michael Dillon, associate professor of zoology at the University of Wyoming, will present “A Bug’s Life at Extremes: How the Humble Bee Thrives from Deserts to Mountain Tops” starting at 7 p.m. next Wednesday.

According to Dillon, native bees are crucial pollinators in both agriculture and wild ecosystems, so recently documented declines in bee populations may have dramatic and far-reaching effects. Dillon will discuss what we’ve learned about how bees cope with the challenges and how they can persist everywhere from the deserts of southern California to the high mountains of western China.

Dillon has studied the physiology and ecology of insects, particularly bees, for over 20 years across the western United States, China and Central and South America. His students are currently working on topics including distributions of threatened bees, effects of wind farms on insects, flight and thermal physiology of bumblebees and overwintering of native bees

He recently, with colleague Lusha Tronstad, published a Field Guide to the Native Bees of Wyoming, which is aimed at engaging the public in understanding, appreciating and protecting our native bees.

To attend his lecture next week via Zoom, go to www.sheridan.edu/lecture at the event time.