This week, a bit of lifestyle (hobbies/pastimes) mixed in with science and nature, as we speak to the co-author of a book on bumble bees.
Sheila Colla (PhD) has worked with one of the world’s leading wild bee experts at York University in Toronto and is now a biologist at Wildlife Preservation Canada.
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Sheila Colla co-author of Bumble Bees of North America (Click to Enlarge)
Birdwatching is a popular pastime for millions of peope around the world.
There are dozens, if not hundreds or even more, books on the subject to help birdwatchers identify the birds they see.
Usually its done from quite a distance, either through telephoto lenses, or powerful binoculars.
Biologist Sheila Colla thinks we should consider another type of nature watching, that of bee-watching.
She’s fascinated with bumble bees, and says you can get up very close to them.
She says bees have always been around us, but too often people confuse wasps and bees, and also presume bees are all fairly agressive.
She says bumble bees are generally quite docile and can be easily approached without fear.
A brown-belted Bumble bee covered in pollen. photo-S Colla (CLICK to ENLARGE)
As with all bees, they are vital for pollination of plants and our food crops, but they are also fascinating to observe.
The new book she co-authored after six years of work, is at first an identification guide, but also full of scientific information, directly and indirectly related to the bee world.
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