- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The free multimedia event will pay tribute to the honey bee "and the wonderful world of pollination," said cultural entomologist Emmet Brady, host of the Davis-based Insect News Network, broadcast on KDRT 95.7 FM Radio, Davis.
"The Bee-a-Thon 3 will take intelligent humans everywhere on a deep dive into the Microcosm and the wonderful symphony of pollination," Brady said.
The event will begin online with a series of videos about honey bees and other members of the Microcosm, including videos created by Brady and clips from previous Bee-a-Thons.
UC Davis will be represented by Eric Mussen, Extension apiculturist with the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology; and entomologist/artist Diane Ullman and artist Donna Billick, co-founders and co-directors of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program. Mussen, a member of the department since 1976, is world-renowned for his honey bee expertise. Ullman is the associate dean of undergraduate academic programs in the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a professor of entomology. Billick is a self-described rock artist whose work has been shown throughout the world. She created the "Miss Bee Haven" ceramic mosaic sculpture in the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis, and the sign that graces the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility.
The schedule includes:
- a pollination fundraising luncheon, with a honey-inspired menu, from noon to 1 p.m. at Monticello Seasonal Cuisine, 630 G St. (not broadcast).
- fruit presentations from 1 to 1:30 p.m. at the Davis Food Co-Op, 620 G St.; (not broadcast)
- a live broadcast from 2 to 4 p.m. on Davis Community Television public access Channel 15
- a radio/video feed from KDRT, 95.7 FM, from 4 to 6 p.m.
- BATMAP (Bee-a-Thon Monster After Party) billed as the world’s first Pollinator Party from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Davis Media Access, 1623 Fifth St., and featuring music by Eminent Bee. Admission is free, but guests must come adorned as an insect, spider or flower.
- a lounge chat from 10 p.m. to midnight at deVere’s Irish Pub, 217 E St.
The pollination luncheon at Monticello Seasonal Cuisine, a fundraising event for Davis Media Access, will include a special honey menu prepared by the owners. Brady will be offering a special preview of his forthcoming book “The Insect Tribe: Who? What? Why?”
Brady says the art-science event is designed to ignite a community about the full story about honey bees and other pollinators — "not just the science, but the art, the anthropology, the technology and design, the pop culture."
“The interdependence we have with insects — especially bees — is profound and complex and most people are only discussing half the story," said Brady, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hiram (Hiram, Ohio) College. "The key word is biocomplexity — how human behavior fits into the global ecology. It’s also about how insects inspire and amaze our society. That will all be covered on the show.”
Brady described the Bee-a-Thon as timely; Time magazine just published a cover story on “beepocalpyse.”
Noon - 1 p.m.
A pollination fundraising luncheon at the Monticello Seasonal Cuisine, 630 G St.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
The broadcast continues online with more videos and interviews pre-recorded for the event.
1 p.m. – 1:20
Melon Chat at Davis Food Cooperative (not broadcast). This is a special presentation about the unique connection between melons and honey bees, and the dramatic impact they had on the formation of the United States.
2 – 4 p.m.: Broadcast from the Studios of DCTV in Davis, CA
2 p.m. - Live Introduction for the Bee-a-Thon 3 and the lay-out of the event.
2:10 p.m. - Green Screen: Meet the Honey Bee
2:15 p.m.- Visit to Redwood Barn to see live bees with guest Doneice Woody-Harlan of Henry’s Bullfrog Bees with a bee observation hive
2:25 p.m. - Symbols of the Insect Tribe / BUFFER
2:40 p.m. - First musical artist - To be announced
2:45 p.m. - Interview: Patrick Adams of Blue Moon Bees and the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Yuki Kamashi, Japanese Beekeeper (pre-recorded)
2:55 p.m. - Pollinator Video: with Derek Downey of the UC Davis Bee Sanctuary, located next to the Dome Cooperative Housing (pre-recorded)
3 p.m. - Interview: Professor Ille Gebeshuber of the University of Vienna from Kuala Lampur, Malaysia (pre-recorded)
3:20 p.m. - Green Screen Video - How a Honey bees Flies
3:30 p.m. - Interview: Kim Flottum, editor of Bee Culture magazine, described as the definitive magazine for the beekeeping industry in the U.S. (pre-recorded)
3:40 p.m. Interview: Marina Marchese, founder of the American Honey Tasting Society and owner of the Red Bee Honey (Pre-recorded)
3:45 p.m. - Roving Cam: Don Shor, owner of Redwood Barn Nursery and radio host of the Davis Garden Show (live)
3:55 p.m. – Rachel Edler, designer of Bee-a-Thon graphic media and owner of Rachel Edler Designs (pre-recorded)
4:00 p.m. - KDRT, 95.7 FM – Introduction of the Insect Tribe
4:05 p.m. - Eric Mussen, Extension apiculturist and world-renowned bee expert from UC Davis (live)
4:20 p.m. - Ria de Grassi, director of federal policy, California Farm Bureau Federation (live)
4:30 p.m. - Musical Break
4:35 p.m. - Mike Somers, state director of Pesticide Watch and Pesticide Watch Education Fund (live)
4:45 p.m. - Celeste Ets-Hokin, creator of the Pollinator Gardens at Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA (live)
4:55 p.m. - Musical Break
5:00 p.m. - Eddie Dunbar, founder of the Insect Sciences Museum of California (live)
5:10 p.m.- Musician - To be announced
5:15 p.m. -Teen interview - UC Davis Bio Boot Camp youth Bjorn Bush and Jack Henderson (live)
5:25 pm -Artists Corner: Tattoo Art with Jenn Ponci and Sara Ely, co-director of the Davis Music Festival (live)
5:35 p.m. - Kamal Lemseffer, computer analyst at UC Davis (live)
5:45 p.m. Close
5:58 sign-off
6 – 7 p.m.
Broadcast continues online at www.insectnewsnetwork.com with a series of videos about honey bees and other members of the Microcosm, including videos created by host Emmet Brady.
7 – 10 p.m.
Live video stream of the BATMAP (Bee-a-Thon Monster After Party) the world’s first Pollinator Party, and featuring music by Eminent Bee. This will take place at Davis Media Access, 1623. Admission is free, but guests must come adorned as an insect, a spider or a flower. Donations are asked to support the Davis Media Access.
10 p.m. – Midnight
Lounge chat at deVere’s Irish Pub, 217 E St., Davis, with members of the Insect Tribe (not broadcast)
For more information, contact Brady at info@insectnewsnetwork.com. The telephone number for the Davis Media Access is (530) 757-2419.