Upcoming Events
Pollinator Week 2024 Events
Get ready for Pollinator Week 2024 with a number of FREE pollinator events across Alberta!
Xerces Society Live Bug Banter Podcast
June 17, 2024 - 2 pm MDT
Online through Zoom
Join Bug Banter co-hosts Matthew Shepherd and Rachel Dunham for a Q & A session on all things bees. Bring your questions about bees and your enthusiasm!
ANBC Annual General Meeting
June 18, 2024 - 6:30 - 8:30 pm MDT
Online through Zoom
Join us learn about how the Alberta Native Bee Council is run and get updates on recent, and upcoming, projects including the Native Bee Monitoring Project and the Waterton and Elk Island Projects.
There are no fees to attend but to vote in the AGM you must be a member.
Want to make a bigger difference for the bees? Join our Board of Directors!
The positions of treasurer and member at large are open. To apply, please fill out our nomination form and email it to info@albertanativebeecouncil.ca.
Oldman Watershed Council & Naapi’s Garden
June 19, 2024 - 9 pm MDT
Cardston, Alberta
Spend a day planting native flowers with the Oldman Watershed Council at Naapi’s Garden to help native pollinators!
Where: Meet at Moses Lake Community Hall (north of Cardston) at 9am, then together to Naapi’s Garden.
More information will be shared with those who register!
Pollinator Carnival
June 22, 2024
10:30 am - 3:30 pm MDT
Capstone Canada 150 Square, Red Deer
The Pollinator Carnival is a fun, free event at Capstone Canada 150 Square in Red Deer, designed to create awareness and appreciation of pollinators. Talk to experts and learn about bees! Games, prizes, activities and entertainment are all included.
Free to attend – no tickets or pre-registration required!
Pollinator Walk & Talk
June 23, 2024
1 pm - 2 pm MDT
Ellis Nature Centre, Red Deer, Alberta
Come for a pollinator walk & talk in celebration of pollinator week! Board member Charity Briere will teach participants about various native pollinators & talk them on a walk to search for them. This event is free, but pre-registration is strongly encouraged!
This event is weather dependent and may be cancelled in the event of inclement weather.
City of St. Albert Native Bees 101 and Pollinator Walk
Come learn what all the buzz is about! Join us for the Native Bees 101 & Pollinator Walk session on Sunday, July 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the John Beedle Room at the St. Albert Botanic Park.
10 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Introductions & Native Bees 101 Workshop
11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Snacks & Refreshments
11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. Pollinator Walk Session
This free event is offered in partnership with the Alberta Native Bee Council and provides an opportunity for residents to learn all about the diverse range of native bees, how to identify them, where they live, what they eat and what you can do to help them.
We’ll be taking a walk in the St. Albert Botanic Park and along the Sturgeon River to discover lots of bee-friendly flowers.
Light refreshments will be provided during the event; however, attendees are also welcome to bring a lunch.
Note: The workshop is recommended for children over the ages of 12
PLEASE NOTE- this event has been cancelled- Pollinator Walk at Ellis Bird Farm
Join our board member Charity Briere for a pollinator walk at Ellis Bird Farm!
City of St. Albert Bumble Bee Box Workshop
What's Happening
Help make your yard a more friendly place for our native bees by building your very own bee hotel! You’ll also get the opportunity to learn more about bumble bee identification and reporting tools you can use to help conserve these important native bee species.
Residents are invited to join in on Saturday, June 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Grey Nuns White Spruce Park (GNWSP) on the north multi-use trail.
The workshop fee is $30 and includes all building materials; however, registrants are asked to bring their own cordless drill and safety glasses as only a limited number will be available.
This workshop will be presented by a member of the Alberta Native Bee Council. Limited spots available so reserve yours today!
To Bee or Not to Bee
Pincher Creek, AB (GPS coordinates: 49.277368, -113.858703)
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Spend the day at The Yarrow completing a pollinator and wildflower survey. To start the day, you will learn all about native pollinators and pollinator habitat from expert Megan Evans, president of the Alberta Native Bee Council. After learning all that you can about pollinators, Megan will lead the group in identifying pollinator plants and species, including bees and butterflies!
This family-friendly event is a great was to explore one of NCC’s newest properties and learn all about native pollinators and wildflowers found in the area.
For questions please contact ab.volunteers@natureconservancy.ca.
Pollinator Walk - Bunchberry Meadows
It’s Pollinator Week! Join us on Friday, June 23 at Bunchberry Meadows, to learn about the insects and plants in your backyard. The walk will take place from 3:00-5:00pm.
This guided walk will be lead by the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Edmonton Native Plant Society.
This event is now full, thank you for your interest! To be added to the waitlist, please enter your details below. You will be contacted a few days before the walk if a space becomes available.
Pollinator Week- U of C Garden Party
Garden Party
Pollinator Week (June 19-25)
Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of networking, learning and celebrating our local pollinators.
During this event people can learn about pollinators from some of Canada's leading experts in the fields of zoology and ecology. Participants can also get their hands dirty to create bee boxes during the party. Spaces for the workshop are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Date: Friday, June 23, 2023
Time: 11.30 a.m. – 1 p.m. (MT)
Location: University of Calgary’s Main Campus Community Garden. The exact location pin can be found here.
A free Bee Box-Building workshop will be hosted during the event.
*Participants who register are encouraged to bring their own power drill. A few drills will be available for those who do not have one. All other supplies and instructions will be provided.
All participants will receive a packet of native flower seeds and entry tokens for a raffle. Prize winners for the raffle will be selected and distributed at the end of the Garden Party so make sure to stick around!
You are welcome to bring and enjoy your lunch at the garden.
The Insect Apocalypse - University of Calgary Institute for the Humanities 42nd Annual Community Forum
Description from Poster:
The Calgary Institute for the Humanities in partnership with UCalgary Alumni
Join us as we explore our relationship with insects from multiple angles, in order to understand how our thinking about insects may have contributed to their decline, and how looking more closely at our relations with our fellow creatures may help to ameliorate the situation.
This year’s Community Seminar features Renaissance literature scholar Eric Brown (University of Maine at Farmington), entomologist and insect communications researcher Maya Evenden (UAlberta), and speculative fiction expert Sherryl Vint (UC Riverside). Artists Alana Bartol and Bryce Krynski will present their short film all roses sleep. Pianist Kevin Chen will perform a short recital. CIH Honorary Graduate Fellow Veronica Briseno Castrejon will discuss her research on Maya beekeeping practices.
Native Bees 101
Native Bees 101 is an introductory overview of the native bees in Alberta. Join us to learn about their amazing diversity, how to tell them apart from other insects, where they live and what they eat, and what YOU can do to help them! You will see how to identify the bumble bees of Southern Alberta, a collection of specimens that showcase Alberta Bee diversity, examples of houses you can provide for them, and we will play some games!
Please note - This session has limited in-person capacity but an online option is available. Pre-registration is required for both.
Native Bees 101
Native Bees 101 is an introductory overview of the native bees in Alberta. Join us to learn about their amazing diversity, how to tell them apart from other insects, where they live and what they eat, and what YOU can do to help them!
ANBC Annual General Meeting
The Alberta Native Bee Council 2023 Annual General meeting will be taking place on Monday, April 24 from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., through zoom. Please join us by clicking the "Register Here" button below.
Please note that you must be a member to vote at the AGM. If you are not a member and would like to vote you can get your membership by clicking the button below! Our membership year will be changing (more information to come) and all multi-year memberships and memberships purchased after September 1st, 2022 are still valid.
We hope to see you there!
Edmonton Seedy Sunday
We’ll also be at Seedy Sunday in Edmonton!
Alberta Avenue Hall
9210 118 Ave. NW, Edmonton AB
Calgary Seedy Saturday
Come find us at Seedy Saturday!
Winston Heights Mountainview Community Association
520 27 Ave NE, Calgary AB
ANBC AGM & Bee Forum
The Alberta Native Bee Council is celebrating our 5th anniversary in style! Please join us.
Tentative schedule:
Friday October 21, 2022, 7-9pm
Mixer at Elite Brewing Co., Calgary, Alberta. Food and beverages not included in admission.
Saturday, October 22, 2022, 8:45am-3:45pm
1531 21 Ave NW, Calgary
See final agenda below.
Registration for this event is $55, and includes a membership for the upcoming year. Multiyear members receive a discount to attend this event. Contact info@albertanativebeecouncil.ca if you have not received your discount code by email.
Lunch is included on the day of the Bee Forum, and there are awesome door prizes to be won! Merchandise will also be available for sale, including items that cannot be purchased through our online store.
Registration has been extended! Registration closes at midnight on Wednesday, October 19.
To register, click the button below.
Special Resolution
At the AGM, members will vote on a special resolution to amend the Alberta Native Bee Council bylaws to change the timing of the Annual General Meeting. Read the details here.
Our board has a vacancy!
Are you interested in getting more involved in native bee conservation? The Alberta Native Bee Council has two board vacancies. Board Directors are responsible for attending monthly (mostly) virtual board meetings, participating in committee and council work including communications, native bee best practices, giving presentations, etc.
Nomination form can be found here, and must be submitted to info@albertanativebeecouncil.ca by October 17.
We are thankful to be sponsored by ALCLA Native Plants, Arnica Wildflowers, the Northwestern Polytechnic Bee Diagnostic Centre, and TreeTime.ca
Pollinator Walk - Bunchberry Meadows
Did you miss our pollinator walks during Pollinator Week? Join us on Friday, July 22 at Bunchberry Meadows, to once again learn about the insects and plants in your backyard. The walk will take place from 6:30-8:30pm.
This guided walk will be lead by the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Edmonton Native Plant Society.
Please register below.
Pollinator Week Contest
We can’t wait for Pollinator Week! To celebrate these special insects, join us in one of these two competitions for a chance to win an Alberta Native Bee Council T-shirt and stickers.
Contest for Adults - Photo Contest
During pollinator week, submit your high quality photos of native bees to info@albertanativebeecouncil.ca, along with your name and an email address to contact you at. Use the subject line “Pollinator Week Photo Contest“. You may make one submission per day. Only photos of native bees will be accepted as entries for this contest (i.e. not honey bees).
Note: ANBC reserves the right to use photos submitted through this contest on our website, social media, or for other outreach purposes. Credit will be given to the photographer.
Contest for Kids - Colouring Contest
During pollinator week, submit your child's drawing to info@albertanativebeecouncil.ca, along with their first name, age, and an email address to contact you at. Use the subject line “Pollinator Week Colouring Contest“. You may make one submission per child per day. They can freestyle or use one of the colouring sheets below!
Colouring Pages:
Agapostemon (a sweat bee)
Bombus (a bumble bee)
Megachile (a leafcutter bee)
Osmia (a mason bee)
Prizes
An Alberta Bee Council T-shirt
Some great bee stickers
Winners will be chosen at random.
Pollinator Week 2022
Celebrate native pollinators with us! June 20-26 2022 is Pollinator Week, the perfect time to learn and share how to support pollinators in your own backyard. We have some great activities going on during Pollinator Week across Alberta. We hope you’ll join us, or be inspired to make a difference for bees.
Activities
Pollinator Week contests
Date and Time: Submit photos daily during June 20-26. The prize draw will take place on June 27.
Location: anywhere in Alberta
This includes a photo contest for adults and drawing contest for kids. Find more details here.
Pollinator Talk by Dana Bush
Please join Dana Bush, ecologist, to learn about why we should encourage pollinators and other insects in our gardens, and how to do so.
Dana is a Professional Biologist specializing in native plants, and has been gardening with native plants and food plants for decades.
Date and Time: Wednesday, June 22, at 7pm.
Location: online via zoom
Enter your information below to receive a reminder for the talk in advance, or join us at 7pm using the button below!
Pollinator Walks - multiple locations
Pincher Creek - Sunday June 12, 2022
Edmonton - Wednesday June 22, 2022
Red Deer - Thursday June 23, 2022
Calgary - Friday June 24, 2022
Edmonton - Saturday June 25, 2022
Find out more and register here!
Pollinator Walks 2022
Want to learn more about bees and learn to identify them? Join us at one of our pollinator walks in June to hear from the experts.
Pincher Creek
Sunday June 12, 2022
10:00am-2:00pm
Guided walk and presentation by the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Find out more and register here.
Edmonton
Wednesday June 22, 2022
6:30-8:30pm at Bunchberry Meadows
Guided walk by the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Edmonton Native Plant Society.
This walk is full.
Red Deer
Thursday June 23, 2022
6:00pm in Barrett Park (South end of the Kinex Arena parking lot)
Guided walk by the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Red Deer River Naturalists
No registration required!
Calgary
Friday June 24 2022
Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo - Dorothy Harvie Gardens
11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m.
Walks are drop-in, and participants must purchase zoo admission to join.
Edmonton
Saturday June 25, 2022
1:00-4:00pm at Fort Saskatchewan Prairie
Guided walk by the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Edmonton Native Plant Society.
This walk is now full.
Seedy Saturday!
Join ANBC on location at Seedy Saturday, March 19 in Calgary. Learn about the important of our native bees. We’ll have nest boxes for purchase, as well as some swank ANBC branded merchandise! We will also be selling memberships! Don’t forget to check us out!
Intro to Supporting Native Bees with Pollinator Habitat
We often hear "Save the Bees!" but are rarely given the tools or information to know how we can do so. Everyone knows about honey bees and how important they are, but they're only a part of the vast world of bees -and they're not from North America, so what about the bees that have been living here since long before domesticated bees were brought over from Europe? This session will introduce you to the incredible wild bees that make Alberta their home, their biology and life cycles, and how we can support them within our spaces. (Click here to register: Registration for zoom meet)
Alberta Native Bee Council Annual General Meeting
Please join us for our 2021 Annual General Meeting!
The AGM will be held virtually on Thursday, October 21, 2021, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm MST. The session will include a presentation by Dr. Mindi Summers, Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, titled: “Bee a Citizen Scientist: Native Bee Research and the Calgary Pollinator Project”
Each ticket to this event costs $25 and includes a complementary year long membership for one person. A membership gives you one vote at the AGM.
You will receive access to the Zoom link several days in advance of the event.
View the 2020 AGM minutes here.
View the 2021 AGM agenda here.
Purchase tickets using the button below.
Please direct any questions to info@albertanativebeecouncil.ca
ANBC Pollinator Week Webinar
Learn about our native bees and how their nesting habits shape their ecology and evolution during this webinar by Dr. Jess Vickruck.
Jess did an MSc and PhD at Brock University in Southern Ontario working on wild bee ecology. She then spent some time as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Calgary looking at wild bee communities in prairie farmlands. Currently, she is a Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Her research deals primarily with trying to better understand what resources wild bees need to thrive, with the goal of helping to inform management practices in agriculture that maintain or increase wild bee diversity.
You can now watch the recording here:
Pollinator Week
June 21-27 is Pollinator Week! Throughout the week we will be sharing cool facts about native pollinators, running a social media contest, and launching our new website. Read on for more details!
Enter our Pollinator Week contest! Identify the seven native plants in the new Alberta Native Bee Council logo and win a prize. Contest closes midnight June 27. See ANBC Facebook page for details.
We are celebrating Pollinator Week with an overhaul of our website! Visit the Alberta Native Bee Council’s new website for info on Alberta’s native bees, native plants to feed them, and how to build a bumble bee nest box.
Join us Thursday, June 24,2021 at 6pm for a free and informative webinar by research scientist Dr. Jess Vickruck. Learn about our native bees and how their nesting habits shape their ecology and evolution. Check out the details and register here.
Plus - read about our very own Alex Farmer in the Okotoks News.
Happy Pollinator Week!