Cariveau Native Bee Lab

Join us for a pollinator ID workshop at the Minnesota Zoo!

Saturday, June 6th: 9am-4:30pm

Explore pollinators and other floral visitors 🐝🐛
Learn from lead pollinator researchers🔍
Hands-on, small group learning🔬
Preserved & live insect surveys🪲🐞
Up-close look at endangered butterflies🦋

Class fee: $120 for Zoo members; $130 for non-members

Registration link in bio.

Looking to get involved with pollinators this summer?

Become a Pollinator Ambassador! The Pollinator Ambassador program trains amd equips volunteers to be experts in pollinator outreach and education.

The next training will be March 21st from 10:30 am- 3:00 pm. It is jam packed with great information about the program as well as pollinator biology information.

Visit pollinatorsambassadors.umn.edu/events/upcoming-events to register. Or click on the link in our bio.

Calling all Bee Lovers!

Want to learn how to identify bumble bees? Take the Midwest Bumble Bee ID course.

This course, available asynchronously online, focuses on identification of the 25 species of Bumble bees that are/were in the upper Midwest (with a focus on regional color morphs).

Online materials are supplemented with monthly live online Q and A sessions for questions about the material or any ID questions you may have.

Details and the registration link can be found in our bio.

We’re hosting the Midwest Bee Genus Identification Workshop again! Come join us and the Minnesota DNR for a 5-day workshop that will be held at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities St. Paul campus from March 9-13, 2026. The workshop will be taught by Dr. Zach Portman. To apply and get more information, see the link in our bio! Applications are due by January 26!

It’s time for ! Many members of our lab will be presenting at Entomology 2025. Check out the details for their talks and posters and make sure to stop by.



🐝🐜🕷🪳🐛🐞🦋🦗🦟🐝

Dreaming of what's to come...

Our favorite time of the year is right around the corner: Field Season!

Next week is the beginning of our field season, which will kick off with the annual training of our field technicians. We are excited to survey bees, butterflies, and flowers across the upper Midwest this summer.

Stay tuned for updates from the field!

What's that floating in the water? Why it's floating Bee bowls, of course!

Our research takes us to some interesting places to catch bees, such as the Voyageurs National Park, which has a lot of water.

Here, one of our researchers is trialing some floating Bee Bowls in preparation for her field work. A lot of work goes into making equipment, and we're excited to see how things go for her summer of boats, bees, and (bee) bowls.

We, along with the Minnesota DNR, are hosting a Midwest bee genus identification workshop! This five-day workshop will be held at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities from March 10-14, 2025 and taught by our very own Dr. Zach Portman. The cost is $600. Please reach out to Jessica Petersen with any questions ([email protected]). To apply, fill out the form in our bio by January 21, 2025! See the application form for additional course details!

We are hiring a Prairie Database and Monitoring Technician!

Full job description and application information can be found on our website or the University of Minnesota HR Site. Look for job ID # 365604