Bozeman Magazine

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU, formerly MSU Wonderlust, is partnering with the Belgrade Community Library to host a presentation on “What’s Killing the Bees? Impact of Pathogens and More on Honey Bees” at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21. This event is free and open to the public, and will be presented online via Zoom. Join Michelle Flenniken, MSU microbiologist and co-director of MSU’s Pollinator Health Center, for an exciting conversation about honey bee colony health. For the past 10 years, honey bee colony losses have approached 30 percent annually. Flenniken will discuss the importance of managed and wild/native bees as pollinators of plants that enhance biodiversity, as well as fruit, nut and vegetable producing crops. She will also describe the role of pathogens and other factors in honey bee colony deaths, and the importance of basic and applied science to address this important global challenge. Michelle Flenniken is an associate professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology and co-director of the Pollinator Health Center at MSU. She directs a research program investigating honey bee host–pathogen interactions and teaches genetics and virology courses. Flenniken received a bachelors degree in biology from the University of Iowa, then was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, before obtaining her doctorate in microbiology from Montana State University. Advance registration is required. For more information or to register, please visit the MSU Wonderlust website at www.montana.edu/olli/. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program. This collaborative community event is free and open to the general public thanks to generous sponsorship by Kenyon Noble Lumber and Hardware. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach (ATO) at Montana State University. ATO works across MSU to support and advance our land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement. For more information the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU or this community event, please visit www.montana.edu/olli/.