The Central Colorado Humanists (CCH) Aug. 2 Science Sunday program will examine the importance of insects and other small invertebrates to the global ecosystem.
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Expert Chris Helzer will also answer questions such as: “How many eyes does a praying mantis really have?” “Are there more species of flies, beetles, or butterflies in North America?”
Helzer (not an entomologist, but the Director of Science for the Nature Conservancy in Nebraska and an admirer of insects) will present photos and stories of insects to help viewers gain an appreciation for these tiny wildlife species.
Pollinators, which include hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and moths, along with many wasps, flies, and beetles, are a focus for him and play an incredibly important role for both people and nature.
A ten-lined June beetle, a member of the scarab beetle family. Photo by Lee Coveney.
“Pollinators help plants create the fruits and seeds that power ecosystems,” says Helzer.
Helzer earned a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1994 and 1996, respectively. His undergraduate degree was in forestry, fisheries, and wildlife and his master’s project was in landscape ecology, with a focus on grassland birds in fragmented grassland landscapes.
As the Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science in Nebraska, his main role is to evaluate and capture lessons from the Conservancy’s land management and restoration work and share those lessons with other land managers. He also works to raise awareness about the value of prairies and prairie conservation through his photography, writing, and presentations.
Helzer is the author of two books published by the University of Iowa Press: “The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States” and “Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter”.
CCH sponsors Science Sunday presentations on the first Sunday of each month. Each presentation is informative and features a science topic understandable by both scientists and non-scientists. A question and answer period will follow the talk.
The public can view the program via Zoom at https://tnc.zoom.us/j/92552281871
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