Yesterday was a community pollinator event, Hasta Luego Monarchs. Many different groups were there to talk about various pollinators. There were games, face painting, and Monarch Watch was there to tag Monarch butterfles. I was there representing Honey bees. The tent next to me were students from the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. I went over to look at their collections of insects. I took a picture of one of the students, a senior. Unfortunately, it was so hot that community turn out was low, very low.
I didn't take the observation hive because of the heat. My observation hive would have been hard for the bees to regulate the heat. I did have another group ask me for some dead bees they could mount for their educational purposes. I might have had a whole frame of dead bees for them had I brought them with me.
I did do an easy eye catcher that got adults to stop and talk. I had two beautiful potted examples of a fall blooming chrysanthemum and a beautiful New England Aster. In the aster I put a note card that said, "Plant This". In the Mum I put a note card that said, "Not This!" I identified each in smaller print on the cards. That got adults to stop and ask why. That started a conversation. I felt that worked well and was a way to promote fall blooming nectar and pollen sources! I don't know how many people said, "I never knew!"
