NNGI hosted a fun and informative education program entitled, “Learning to Love Native Bees and Wasps” on February 9, 2023. Kimberly Simmen from KMS Native Plants, LLC was the main speaker. The venue was Ink’d Art Studio and the event included a sketching lesson given by Ink’d’s owner, Clark Ruggeri.
As always, Kimberly Simmen was a delight with her charming presentation on bees and wasps – all found in her native plant pickup yard! Such little cuties! The program was well-named as I think everyone who attended did fall in love with these little pollinator powerhouses.
Clark Ruggeri’s sketching lesson was also extremely enjoyable. He was so upbeat and funny and he made drawing a fairly complex picture of a bee by some coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) look SO easy! Guests all went home with some impressive looking pieces of art and some newly gained information as to how to approach a piece of art.
The feedback from the evening was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone walked away with a new perspective on bees and wasps, recognizing that they are an essential part of a healthy ecosystem.