<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">All:</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Below is an announcement for a bee identification
course which will be held at the National Conservation Training Center
in West Virginia during the week of July 5th (I know bad timing, but that's
the only slot we could get for the nice lab).</font><font size=3> <br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
You can read about the details in the announcement below, but one thing
to point out is that unlike past courses we will be emphasizing the details
of identifying the trickier groups of species and will not cover the basics.
We are going to assume that you have seen our online identification
materials, have access to a dissecting microscope at home or the office,
and have been learning and practicing on known specimens of bees (which
we are happy to send you). You will learn far more about bee identification
if you have taken these steps and already know your way around guides,
bees, their basic body parts and have struggled with the keys. Our
job is to help end those struggles not simply start them!</font><font size=3>
<br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Let me know right away if you plan to attend as it is strictly a first
come/first serve basis, classes have always filled with long waiting lists
and we make no judgements or adjustments to who attends based on
your past experience, level of education, or current needs.</font><font size=3>
<br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
</font><img src=cid:_2_0A9F80A80A9F77AC0078A56785257713>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=5 face="Arial"><b>Training</b></font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=5 face="Arial"><b>Announcement</b> </font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<div align=right>
<br><font size=3> </font></div>
<div align=center>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=4 face="Arial"><b>Native Bee Identification, Ecology, Research
and Monitoring</b></font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial"><b> </b></font><font size=3> </font></div>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Course Dates: July</b> 5-10,
2008</font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Course Location: </b>National
Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV (</font><a href=http://training.fws.gov/><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><u>http://training.fws.gov/</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">
)</font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Course Leaders:</b> Jason Gibbs,
Alana Taylor, Sam Droege</font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Course Length:</b> 5 days/36
hours</font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Course Description:</b> </font><font size=3>
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">The primary goal of this course
is to provide participants the tools necessary to identify bees to species.
To do that instructor ratios will be kept at 1 instructor to 8 participants.
We will assume that students already have access to microscopes, will have
read up on the basic literature on bee genera we have provided, and will
have already practiced keying out bees to the genus level. We will emphasize
learning to use online guides, how to identify tricky characters within
groups such as Osmia, Lasioglossum, Andrena, Nomada and will be showing
these characters to the class on projecting microscopes. A large collection
of Eastern North American bees will be available for your use; surplus
specimens will be available free for your personal collection. </font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">In conjunction with learning identification
skills there will be a daily lectures on bee natural history, monitoring,
and research techniques. We will be going out in the field throughout the
week to set traps and net bees so that participants can see the entire
spectrum of field to microscope work. We encourage participants to be bring
a net, we will provide you with traps and processing equipment. You are
also encouraged to bring your own specimens with you and we can help with
identification, as time permits. Laptops, microscopes, will be provided.</font><font size=3>
</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Who Should Attend: </b>Federal,
state, county and municipal agencies, private consulting firms, citizen
volunteers, neighborhood associations, environmental organizations, and
teachers, performing native pollinator assessments or monitoring programs;
with a desire to improve their identification skills.</font><font size=3>
</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>How to apply:</b> To register,
email Sam Droege (</font><a href=mailto:sdroege@usgs.gov><font size=3 color=blue><u>
</u></font><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><u>sdroege@usgs.gov</u></font></a><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">). First come, first serve</font><font size=3>
</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Cost: </b></font><font size=3>Tuition
is waived for FWS employees; </font><font size=2 face="Times New Roman">for
the remainder tuition is $250 U.S. Food is available at the training center
and lodging is available in nearby Shepherdstown. </font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><b>Questions: </b>Please contact
Sam Droege, sdroege@usgs.gov, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center </font>
<br><font size=3> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Thanks</font><font size=3>
<br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Sam Droege</font><font size=3> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Jason Gibbs</font><font size=3> </font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Alana Taylor</font><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Sam Droege sdroege@usgs.gov
<br>
w 301-497-5840 h 301-390-7759 fax 301-497-5624<br>
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center<br>
BARC-EAST, BLDG 308, RM 124 10300 Balt. Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705</font><font size=3 color=blue><u><br>
</u></font><a href=Http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/><font size=2 color=blue face="sans-serif"><u>Http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov</u></font></a><font size=3>
<br>
<br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
this is the garden:colours come and go,<br>
<br>
this is the garden:colours come and go,<br>
frail azures fluttering from night's outer wing<br>
strong silent greens silently lingering,<br>
absolute lights like baths of golden snow.<br>
This is the garden:pursed lips do blow<br>
upon cool flutes within wide glooms,and sing<br>
(of harps celestial to the quivering string)<br>
invisible faces hauntingly and slow.</font><font size=3> <br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
This is the garden. Time shall surely reap<br>
and on Death's blade lie many a flower curled,<br>
in other lands where other songs be sung;<br>
yet stand They here enraptured,as among<br>
the slow deep trees perpetual of sleep<br>
some silver-fingered fountain steals the world.<br>
<br>
- by: e.e. cummings</font>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
</font><font size=5 color=#008000 face="Webdings">P</font><font size=2 color=#008000>
<b>Bees are not optional</b></font><font size=1 color=#008000><b>.</b></font>
<br>