July 31st 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Manor House. (Doors open at 6:30.)
Author of BUZZ, Thor Hanson, will describe how bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. They lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. 125 million years ago, a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They’ve given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. Alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing. Threads of culture and science set the stage for understanding the modern plight of bees and inspire curiosity and the irresistible urge to get outside, find a bee on a flower, and settle down to watch.
Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist and Guggenheim fellow.
Leach Botanical Garden 6704 SE 122nd Avenue Portland, OR 97236
Please park in the Upper Garden parking lot and walk down the pathway to the Manor House. The lower lot is closed due to construction of the 122nd Street bridge. A map is available online. Please do not follow Google Maps!