GCFM members are invited to join a ZOOM presentation by Zac Smith-Hess of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens on “Beneficial Insects-Plants and Practices”.

With all the buzz around bees, it can be easy to overlook other essential pollinators and insects that share our garden spaces. Beetles, flies, wasps, and spiders are just a few of the more hidden beneficial arthropods that may be found in your space. Though pollination is a crucial contribution of these insects, pollinators form just one level of the garden ecosystem. We can also plant and landscape to create habitats for predators, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Together with the charismatic bees and butterflies, these critters support any managed ecosystem.

Zac Smith-Hess is the entomologist educator at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and has had a long-term passion for connecting people and places using insects. Since graduating with a degree in zoology in 2014, he has spent much of his career as a formal and informal educator in zoos, gardens, and parks. Zac manages the Learning Apiary’s honeybee hives and co-manages the Native Butterfly & Moth House, where he engages thousands of Gardens visitors every summer or, as he likes to say, just talks about bugs.

There is no cost for this presentation, however, registration is required to obtain the ZOOM link for the program.  RSVP to Leslie Spieth (President’s Project Chair) at [email protected] with your name, garden club, and email address.  Registration deadline for this program is February 23rd.