The Santa Fe Botanical Garden’s Summer Seminar is an immersive, small-group learning experience designed to foster direct engagement with leading scientists, naturalists, and thinkers. Unlike traditional lectures, the seminar emphasizes dialogue, observation, and hands-on exploration, creating space for participants to engage deeply with a focused topic over multiple days.

Each seminar centers on a timely theme in science, conservation, or the natural world and is led by a distinguished instructor. Participants gain not only conceptual understanding, but also practical tools and new ways of seeing—whether through field observation, analytical techniques, or guided discussion.

Enrollment is intentionally limited to support meaningful interaction, collaborative learning, and immersive experiences both in the classroom and in the Garden.

Lives of Native Bees: Observing, Understanding, and Conserving New Mexico’s Pollinators
with Dr. Olivia Carril
August 13–14, 2026

New Mexico is home to an extraordinary diversity of native bees—many of which remain largely unseen, despite their essential role in shaping our landscapes and ecosystems. This two-day, field-based seminar offers an introduction to the natural history, diversity, and conservation of these remarkable pollinators.

Designed for beginners and enthusiasts alike, this workshop begins with an introduction to bee natural history and how to find bees on flowers, getting participants moving through the gardens while building observational skills. Using specimens collected in the morning, participants learn how to distinguish bees from similar insects like flies and wasps, followed by a deeper look at bee anatomy under the microscope and an overview of the major groups found in New Mexico. The day concludes with a focused session on bumble bees of the region, tying together identification, ecology, and their role in local ecosystems.

On the second day, participants return to the field for guided observation, learning what to look for when watching bees on flowers and how to interpret their behavior. Hands-on sessions introduce basic specimen preparation and identification of common New Mexico bees, alongside broader discussions of global bee diversity. A garden walk highlights how floral forms shape bee behavior and specialization, and the workshop concludes with a forward-looking conversation on pollinator conservation and the future of bee research in our state.

Throughout the seminar, Dr. Carril will connect observation to broader conservation issues, including pollinator decline, habitat relationships, and opportunities to contribute to community science efforts.

By the end of the seminar, participants will leave with:

• A working understanding of native bee diversity in New Mexico
• Practical skills for observing and recognizing bees in the field
• Insight into how scientists study pollinators
• Clear pathways for continued learning and engagement in bee conservation

Dr. Olivia Carril has studied bees for more than 20 years in ecosystems around the world. She earned her B.S. and M.S. from Utah State University and her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where her research focused on bee diversity, pollinator ecology, and plant–bee relationships. She is coauthor of The Bees in Your Backyard: A Field Guide to North America’s Bees and is currently leading bee surveys in northern New Mexico while working on two new books about bees.

Member Presale Date (May 15); Public Sale Date (June 1)

Dates and Times

Dates: August 13–14, 2026

Time:

• August 13: 9:00am - 3:00pm (*followed by optional happy hour)
• August 14: 9:00am - 3:00pm

Location

Santa Fe Botanical Garden, Hendricksen Pavilion, 715 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe 87505

Pricing

• Members: $125.00
• Not-Yet-Members: $175.00

**SFBG Members** You must sign in to receive your member discount. If you already have an account, click the “Sign in” button at the top of this page. If you do not have an account, click the “Register” button to create an account. If you receive an error or have questions, email info@santafebotanicalgarden.org.

Not yet a member? Join/renew here for discounts and benefits all year long!

Refund and Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. We do not offer refunds. If you must cancel, please consider the program fee a donation to the Garden.

We reserve the right to cancel programs at our discretion. Participants will be contacted via email as early as possible in the event of a program cancellation.