BeeChicas Present - Pollinators After Dark In-Person
Why Study Moths? Discover the importance of nocturnal pollinators with Dr. Ryan St. Laurent, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Curator of Entomology at CU Museum of Natural History. Dr. St. Laurent shares an overview of moth diversity, with special attention to three groups of Colorado moths. He'll share how an entomologist spends their summer, including this year's fieldwork which focused on a fascinating group of charismatic, poop-shooting (videos provided, of course), willow and cottonwood feeders. Discover why moths are so important, how you can find them, and how to support moth research via community science initiatives.
Doors open for a light refreshment reception at 6:00p.m. followed by the presentation at 6:30p.m. Registration not required.
Please enter through the North Side Canyon Entrance if arriving after 6:30p.m. Parking is available in either lot and you may cross the creek via an exterior bridge. Please use the ParkMobile app or the physical kiosks for parking in these city managed lots. Note: parking is free after 7pm on weekdays.
- Date:
- Thursday, Aug 7 2025
- Time:
- 6:00pm - 8:30pm
- Location:
- Canyon Theater, Main Library, Theater
- Audience:
- Ages 12 to 18 Ages 18+
- Categories:
- Nature & Gardening
Ryan St Laurent is an evolutionary biologist and entomologist interested in butterfly and moth life history evolution, systematics and taxonomy. Considering ongoing biodiversity loss and how little is known about the evolutionary relationships and life history strategies of most insects; St Laurent's lab will work to explore non-model insect classification and document and understand insect-plant relationships that have received little attention and are in dire need of targeted study. His lab's goal is to enrich the understanding of ecologically important systems to inform management and protection of those systems and to better contextualize their role in the environment. To that end, he uses phylogenomic methods, custom and established bioinformatic tools, museum collections and fieldwork in wide range of biomes.
St Laurent is also heavily involved in natural history museum stewardship and resilience, with long-term goals for the continued development and use of the CU Entomology collection in local, national and global biodiversity and conservation research. Natural history museums are one of the best sources of historical biodiversity data and will be centered in my lab's research program.
Boulder Public Library would like to thank everyone who has generously donated to the Boulder Library Foundation. Your financial support provides funding for library programs, services and facilities that help the people of Boulder develop and grow.
You may enjoy these previous presentations:
BeeChicas Present - If It's Meant to Bee, Let It Bee: Cultivating Gardens for Bees with Dr. Olivia Messinger Carril
BeeChicas Present - Dam It: Partnering with Beavers to Heal the Planet with Ben Goldfarb
BeeChicas Present - The Fantastical World of Everyday Nature In and Around Us with Susan J. Tweit
Visit the Boulder Public Library's Seed to Table playlist to learn about native bees and habitats.