Travis Owen is a self-described nature enthusiast with a passion for pollination ecology and the role of pollinators in the environmental context of Southern Oregon. His passions have grown and evolve over time. In his twenties he was a DJ, then taught himself to build furniture, began to learn the ways of plants, then pollinators. All the while, he was teaching himself how to take pictures and write about what he sees on his fantastic website: the Amateur Anthecologist. His day job is as a commercial beekeeper for an established queen breeder.

Listen in to learn more about the science of anthecology, how you can develop resources for pollinators, and what makes the honeybee unique to other bees.

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“I was really excited to share what I saw. I feel really passionate about it, and I want other people to be passionate about it, too.” – Travis Owen

Show Notes:

• How Travis got into anthecology
• What drew Travis into beekeeping and bees in general
• How honeybees are actually an outsider in comparison to most other bees
• What bees are common in Southern Oregon
• The common plant life that the bees of Southern Oregon thrive on
• What gives large carpenter bees their claim to fame in the insect world
• What an anthecologist is and what it entails
• The differences between the amateur and professional anthecologist
• The small amount of work it takes to help support the pollinator population
• What is the biggest threat to the bee population

“I think there’s around 3,000-4,000 [different species of bees] in the country, and they’re all so different.” – Travis Owen

Links Mentioned:

• Check out Travis’ favorite book about pollinators, Attracting Native Pollinators (Xerces Society)
• Learn more about Travis’ favorite tool, the Nikon B700 camera
• Find out more about Travis’ favorite pollinator (which is usually the last one he saw)
• Connect with Travis Owen at AmateurAnthecologist.com