Adult Community Education | Pollinators | Full-day Workshop
**This course is full. To join waiting list email [email protected] , or join the Mini Bee School Interest list to be notified when Spring 2026 course offering is available (TBC)**
Have you always wanted to know how to ID the amazing diversity of native bees buzzing around your flowers? Where do they nest, what do they eat, and how can you support them? Join the Native Bee Society of BC's Bee Biology and Identification workshop in at the HCP on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
This fascinating one-day workshop, lead by NBSBC's Bonnie Zand, will take place in the HCP Pavilion to provide you with identification strategies for common native bees, as well as in depth information on their nesting, overwintering, and flower preferences.
This adult workshop is suitable for beginner to intermediate students and will focus on recognizing common bumble bee species and common solitary bee genera. We will be examining bee specimens using low magnification digital microscopes, focusing on features that can be observed in the field and in photographs.
This workshop will cover: 
- How to use digital microscopes and handle specimens
- Bee anatomy, terminology
- Bees Vs Flies Vs Wasps Vs Honeybees
- Practice Identification sessions
- Overview of Bee diversity - families/common genera
- Bumblebee ID
- Biology and ID of short tongue bees
- Biology and ID of long tongue bees
- Habitat enhancement and support for native bees
This workshop is hosted by Adult Community Education at the HCP.
Date & Location
Sunday, September 21, 2025 - 9:00 am - 4:30 pm (includes 1 hour for lunch)
The Pavilion at the HCP, 505 Quayle Road, Saanich
Registration & Tuition
$250.00 Regular/Professional
$200.00 HCP Members
REGISTER ONLINE or call 250-479-6273
$200.00 NBSBC Members*
$175.00 Students*
