The Back Yard Beekeepers Association in Connecticut will present a free live presentation with Lars Chittka, an acclaimed zoologist and ecologist distinguished for his work using insect-flower interactions. He will be speaking on Tuesday, July 25 at the Norfield Congregational Church at 64 Norfield Road in Weston.
Following the lecture, Chittka will be available to autograph copies of his book which can be purchased at the event. The beekeepers invite guests to join them at 7 p.m. for socializing. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Chittka is the author of the popular book “The Mind of a Bee.” He is a professor of sensory and behavioral ecology at Queen Mary College of the University of London as well as the founder of the Research Centre for Psychology at Queen Mary. He is known for his work on the evolution of sensory systems and cognition using insect-flower interactions as a model system. Chittka has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of animal cognition and its impact on evolutionary fitness studying bumblebees and honeybees.
Most of us are aware of the hive mind — the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? Chittka draws from decades of research,, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others.
They may even possess consciousness. Chittka illustrates how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of how much sophisticated material is packed into their tiny nervous systems. He looks at their innate behaviors and the ways their evolution as foragers may have contributed to their keen spatial memory. Chittka also examines the psychological differences between bees and the ethical dilemmas that arise in conservation and laboratory settings because bees might feel and think.
The presentation is free to the public but please register at https://byba.wildapricot.org/event-5342946. See you there! Contact: Paula Wolf at paulawolf@email.com.
Much of the wording provided by author and speaker, Lars Chittka
The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) is one of the Nation’s largest regional clubs for beekeeping hobbyists with over 400 members. Some of their members are just getting started as beekeepers, and some have enjoyed this hobby for years. All share an interest in the wonderful and remarkable world of the honey bee. The mission of BYBA is to provide their membership with a forum for sharing knowledge and mutual interests in beekeeping, and to educate and promote the benefits of beekeeping to the public. For more information, please visit Back Yard Beekeepers Association.
