The Native Bees in our Backyards: In-person presentation by Dr. Jessica Forrest, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science (Biology Department), University of Ottawa  

Eastern Canada is home to approximately 400 species of native bees. Many of these species manage to coexist with us in our cities and farmlands, visiting flowers and pollinating both crops and wild plants. Yet these native bees often labour in obscurity, while non-native honey bees receive most of the attention and credit. In this talk, Dr.Forrest will discuss the life histories and floral requirements of wild bees, highlighting the diversity of bees that occur—often unnoticed—in urban settings. She will end her talk with some tips on how gardeners and homeowners can become better acquainted with—and support—the native bees and other pollinators in our backyards.

Dr. Jessica Forrest is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Ottawa, where her lab (https://forrestlab.wordpress.com/) conducts research on the ecology and evolution of wild pollinators, especially native bees, and their interactions with plants. Jessica teaches upper-level ecology courses, in French and English, and serves as Co-Director of the Biology Department’s graduate program. She is also a subject-matter editor at the journal Ecology. She and her students (and her dog, Oscar) do field work in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and in the many green spaces—agricultural, urban, and natural—around Ottawa.