Southwestern Michigan College’s O’Leary Building will be the place to “bee” later this month, as Cass County Pheasants Forever will offer the public a chance to get up close and personal with some very important insects.

The local conservation organization and the community college will host the first ever “Mother’s Day B&B” butterfly and bee workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Dowagiac campus, located at 58900 Cherry Grove Road. Pheasants Forever leaders have invited several experts to talk about the importance
pollinating insects have on the health of the ecosystem and food supply, and how locals can boost the population of the creatures in their own backyards.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Organizers will hand out free wildflower seed packets to attendees to encourage them to start their own butterfly/pollinator garden.

“People can go straight home and begin planting a butterfly garden for Mother’s Day,” said Cass County Pheasants Forever President Jeff Nelson.

The schedule of events include:

• 10 a.m. — Cass County Pheasants Forever member and local beekeeper Nancy Calme will talk about beekeeping and the importance of honey and wild bees.

• 11:30 a.m. — Darren and Dana Williamson, with Cassopolis’ North Star Landscape Design & Installation, will discuss how people can landscape their home gardens to attract pollinating insects.

• 1 p.m. — Dolly Foster, an expert on butterflies hailing from Hammond, Indiana, will share more about the flying insects and the impact they have on the environment.

Several exhibitors are also expected to attend the May 13 workshop, including the Cass County Conservation District. Visitors will also have a chance to tour SMC’s recently constructed greenhouse, weather permitting.

The event is the latest way members Cass County Pheasants Forever are supporting the region’s population of bees, butterflies and other pollinators, which have experienced a steady decline in recent years across the globe. The group has worked with several county property owners, including Southwestern Michigan College, to plant wildflowers, grasses, trees and other plant life designed to attract the insects.

With several years of experience under their belt, members are reaching out to the public to encourage them to plant pollinator-friendly crops on their own lawns.

“A lot of people, if they have heard the challenges pollinators have experienced, believe it is something that is only up to the farmers to solve,” Nelson said. “However, supporting pollinators is something everyone can do — and you can beautify your property at the same time.”

The upcoming workshop is another collaboration between the county Pheasants Forever chapter and SMC’s agriculture program, led by Stacey Rocklin.

Last year, Pheasants Forever members worked with students in the college’s ag club to plant crops on the college campus to encourage pollinator growth. This year, they teamed up to introduce a colony of bees to the field, with the students installing the beehives with Nancy and Joe Calme last Saturday.

The workshop also serves as a way to expose more of the public to the work Pheasants Forever does in the community. Although traditionally associated with hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, the club’s conservation efforts are intended to benefit the entire community, Nelson said.

The club president said the May 13 event is family friendly, and children of all ages are welcome to attend.

“It’s important to get young people involved,” he said.

People who want more information or who are interested in exhibiting during the upcoming workshop may contact Nelson at (574) 522-6595.