Biodiversity begins with a B(ee)
Jerry Freilich talks bees at Nature Matters
ASTORIA — Most people can
name a handful of different kinds
of bees, but did you know there
are 4,000 species of native bees
in North America and probably
several hundred in the North
Coast area?
Most bees are tiny, don’t
bother people and are vital to the
ecosystem as pollinators. Join
Jerry Freilich as he discusses
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with the larger topic of biodiver-
sity Thursday, April 16.
The 7 p.m. Nature Matters
presentation takes place at the
Fort George Lovell Showroom.
The event is free and open to the
public. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
It can be challenging to learn
many species even if one is com-
fortable with long Latin names.
Freilich will illustrate how the
diversity of bees are related to
other insects and will discuss bee
lifestyles as a thoughtful way of
encouraging further study.
There are a number of rea-
sons why we don’t know and
speak about these many bee
species. The simplest reason is
because most are small (half the
size of a honey bee), fast moving
and inconspicuous. They polli-
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ering plants so important to our
ecosystems, but they don’t sting
people and in general they don’t
interact with us.
Beyond this, the anatomical
differences among the species
require careful examination un-
der the microscope, which in
turn requires knowledge of bee
anatomy. Bee species differ, for
example, in details of their wing
veins, the claws and “spurs” on
their legs, or in the placement of
tiny body hairs.
Freilich, an entomologist
working as research coordina-
tor at Olympic National Park,
has been with the National Park
Service since 1978, working
at six national parks all across
the country. He got his start in
science as a youngster; Freilich
was a student and curatorial as-
sistant at the Academy of Natural
Sciences in Philadelphia when
he was 10 years old. He has a
master’s degree in environmen-
tal education and a doctorate in
entomology. His chief interests
have always been the wonders of
nature: marine seashells, aquatic
insects, birding, desert tortoises
and, now, bees.
DON’T
Did you
get your
tickets yet?
MISS OUT
ON THIS ONCE
IN A LIFETIME
EVENT
Nature Matters is hosted by
Lewis and Clark National His-
torical Park in partnership with
the North Coast Watershed Asso-
ciation and the Fort George. The
series delves into the many ways
human beings look to the natural
world for inspiration, sustenance
and survival — the intersection
of nature and culture.
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A magical night,
choreographed for our stage!
LIBERTY
THEATER
Submitted photo
Learn how bees are important for biodiversity at the next Nature Matters free speaker
event.
Columbian Theater hosts Shorty Shorts
everyone to have the oppor-
tunity to show their work and
ideas.
This year’s one-night As-
toria festival features a slew
of different genres, including
comedy, drama, horror, music,
romance, documentary, spoof,
satire, animation and action.
Shorty Shorts will make you
laugh, think and maybe cry.
Keep your eyes out for some
local talent.
Gula Delgatto will host
the show, along with special
guest Shitney Houston. Grab
cocktails with the drag queens
after the festival at the Voodoo
Lounge.
For more information, vis-
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com
– Broadway World
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Queer film fest plays Astoria
ASTORIA — Shorty Shorts,
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festival featuring the works
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coming to Astoria for the sec-
ond year in a row.
Get in line at the Colum-
bian Theater, 1102 Marine
Drive, Saturday, April 18.
Tickets are $6, and doors open
at 10 p.m. The event is 21 and
over only and is intended for a
mature audience.
Shorty Shorts was dreamed
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idea being that anyone could
make a short, 10-minute-or-
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the big screen. Regardless of
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HD camera or a simple cell
phone, Shorty Shorts wants
“Ballet just got its sexy back”
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April 16, 2015 | coastweekend.com | 11
