The Wild Center Presents Jody Johnson: Bees, Botany and Beauty

The talk on Bees, Botany, and Beauty will focus on the near-magical mutualism that occurs between the plant and animal kingdoms in the realm of pollination. The evolutionary communication between the bees and their food needs and the presentation of a plant's flowers to satisfy its needs to create offspring is intricate, subtle, complex, and fascinating. Looking closely at the design of flowers, already beautiful, will add depth and wonder at the structure, orientation, timing, and physical qualities of flowers as they entice bee visits. If you love unlocking nature's secrets, this talk is for you.

Cost: Free for members or with paid admission

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About the speaker:

Dr. Josephine (Jody) Johnson has a PhD in toxicology and has spent her research career on bees at the US Department of Agriculture on parasites, pesticide effects, nutritional studies, and electrostatic interactions between bees and flowers.  In the last five years, she has been and continues to be engaged in a project in Tanzania in which honey bee hives are installed to deter migrating African elephants from raiding village croplands, thereby avoiding deadly human-elephant conflicts. Recently retired from teaching college classes in environmental science, chemistry, physical science, world pollinators, and sustainability, she has spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and currently maintains a personal apiary of 21 hives.