On June 20, Aj and Annie Talamantes spoke about the different types of bees that can be found in Central Texas.

Aj is a master naturalist and third-year beekeeper, Annie is in the process of getting her Master Beekeeper certification. Learn the difference between honey bees and native bees, and how to identify them. AJ and Annie talk about the basics of different families of native bees and how to build great spaces for them to thrive.

Hardberger Park is an excellent park for bee watching. Especially in the gardens around the park. The Wildscape Demonstration Garden, near the Urban Ecology Center, and the Butterfly Garden, near the Salado Outdoor Classroom are two places that attract a wide variety of bees.

If you are looking to go bee watching, AJ and Annie suggest going out around 10 a.m., as that is when bees are frequently seen foraging on flowers.

Resources

• iNaturalist is an excellent app that you can download to your phone. Upload a photo to the app and naturalists from all over will help you identify the bee in your image.

• Download the slideshow from this talk.