Learn the science behind Alaska's spooky plants, bats, insects

Learn the science behind Alaska's spooky plants, bats, insects

Carnivorous plants, bats, spiders and zombie insects are the subjects of a series of free spooky science webinars hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service in October.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, from noon-1 p.m., naturalist Bob Armstrong will guide participants through the world of Alaska's carnivorous plants. A Juneau-based author and photographer for more than 60 years, Armstrong will explore the connections between these plants and their prey and how they survive in Alaska.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, from noon-1 p.m., wildlife ecologist Jesika Reimer will talk about Alaska's bats. Where do these nocturnal animals go in the summer when there's very little night, where do they go in the winter, how far north do they range, and can they survive without human-built structures? Reimer has been studying bats in northern latitudes in Alaska and Canada for 15 years.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, from noon-1 p.m., the topic will be spiders. Arachnologist and UAF integrated pest management technician Jozef Slowik will talk about spiders and why people shouldn't be afraid of them. He'll cover spiders' important role in the environment, their biology and some of the more common species found in Alaska. He'll also touch on many of the spider myths he gets asked about.

Don't forget the zombies. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, from noon-1 p.m., entomologist Alex Wenninger will discuss Alaska's insect zombies (parasitoid wasps and entomopathogenic fungi), haunted houses (gall-making insects), undertakers (carrion beetles) and costume parties (spooky-themed bug fashion). And finally, don't forget the treats. Wenninger, an integrated pest management technician for the Cooperative Extension Service, will also describe candies made from insect products.

Register for one or all of the webinars via an online form.

For more information, contact Molly Johansson at 907-786-6313 or [email protected].

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Johansson. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to [email protected].

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