"The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful: Invasive, Native & Beneficial Insects of the Midlands" with Dr. Ted Burk

This program, originally scheduled for July, has been rescheduled for August and we couldn't be more excited! Come hear about insects - both good and bad - from featured presenter Dr. Ted Burk, Professor of Biology at Creighton University. Dr. Burk will discuss the recent wave of new invasives like Japanese Beetles, Chinese Mantids, Emerald Ash Borers, and Asian multi-colored Ladybugs, but will then reverse course and talk about how there are so many more beneficial insects, including pollinators and natural enemies of other insects. Learn how we can appreciate our native insects and cultivate them by doing things like planting butterfly and pollinator gardens, cutting back on pesticides, and planting native plant species. With the loss of natural habitats due to human activities, it is important we work to mitigate some of the negative effects by increasing biodiversity in our gardens, parks, schoolyards, and other non-traditional wildlife lands. Don't forget to bring your donations for the Bellevue Food Pantry! Items needed include rice, pasta, pasta sauce, canned beans and vegetables, soups, etc. ABOUT THE PRESENTER:  Ted Burk grew up in the small town of Scranton, Kansas, and attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1974 with a B.A. in Biology. He was a graduate student at New College of the University of Oxford as a Danforth Fellow and Rhodes Scholar, earning a D. Phil. in Zoology in 1979 under the supervision of the controversial evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. After a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Florida, he joined the Creighton University Biology Department in 1982, becoming Professor of Biology in 1996. He was Chair of the Department of Biology from 1990 to 2000 and Interim Chair of the Department of Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences in 2002-2003. He has received the Creighton College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Outstanding Advising, and Professional Excellence in Service. He teaches a wide variety of courses at Creighton, including Animal Behavior, Conservation Biology, and Entomology. His research interests are in behavioral and conservation biology, especially of insects; his ongoing study of prairie butterfly populations and their flower use is in its 21st year. He is the author of 30 papers and book chapters and is co-author of the textbook Biology of Animal Behavior. Much of his professional activity involves “citizen science” projects in which members of the public help collect information important in conservation of wild species and habitats. A full Q&A session will follow! Green Bellevue events are free and open to the public. Bring a friend!  We will be meeting in our regular location at Nebraska Medicine - Bellevue in the lower level meeting room area in Conference Room A. You can park in the visitor parking lot and enter through the main door. Go down the stairs, make a "u-turn" and Conference A is down the hall on your left. More information at: www.GreenBellevue.org SHARE AND JOIN THIS EVENT ON FACEBOOK! https://www.facebook.com/events/296798140893808/