Knowledge is Pollinator Power Webinar
The Knowledge is Pollinator Power webinar is a free, state-wide (and open to anyone region-wide) webinar to:
- raise awareness about research being done in North Carolina (or the Southeast) about pollinators;
- raise awareness about the Great Southeast Pollinator Census and encourage people to participate;
- and engage and empower the general public to utilize research-based information to better their communities for pollinators.
The goal is to inspire attendees with what scientists are learning and what "we" still need to learn, and give them actionable guidance on how to use the research being done.
The Knowledge is Pollinator Power webinar is on Thursday, August 13 in 2026, from 1-3 p.m. The format consists of:
- A welcome and overview of the Census
- Introduction of the three speakers
- 15-20 minute research spotlight by each speaker, back to back (questions saved until the end)
- 30 minutes for questions and final panel thoughts
Get to Know the Insects Webinar
The "Get to Know the Insects" webinar was developed to help GSEPC participants learn about the identification characteristics of the eight pollinator groups in the Census (*bold denotes a Census group):
- Bees (Anthophila- "pollen lover")
- Carpenter Bees
- Bumblebees
- Honey Bees
- Small Bees
- Wasps
- Flies
- Butterflies and Moths
- Other "Insects" (really arthropods!)
Drs. Hannah Levenson and Matt Bertone have teamed up each year (July 2025 and 2026) to provide the technical guidance to each group and reviewed the live identification quiz in this two-hour webinar. This is a great crash course to help get you ready for the Census, whether you catch it live or watch the recording.
Check out this awesome, free, printable guide they helped developed that can also help you with the Census:GSEPC in NC Counting and Insect Identification Guide_2026
Biography: Dr. Hannah Levenson
Hannah is a Research Scholarand head of the Specialty Crops Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management Laboratory at NC State University. Hannah's research focuses on developing IPPM solutions in human modified landscapes, with a particular focus on the invasive spotted wing drosophila pest, parasitoids, and pollinators in berry crops. But she also works in a variety of other systems including other specialty crops, row crops, perennial gardens, and wildlife habitat areas. She works hands-on with stakeholders to make the management of pests in agriculture more sustainable while protecting beneficial insects.
Biography: Dr. Matt Bertone
Dr. Matt Bertone is an entomologist who specializes in arthropod biodiversity, taxonomy, and systematics. He is the diagnostic entomologist and director of the NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic at North Carolina State University, where he identifies arthropods for clients and trains extension personnel on insect identification. Matt is also an avid macro photographer, taking images for both professional purposes and for pleasure.
Webinar Recordings by Year
2026
It is 2026! Get ready for the GSEPC in NC with the "2026 Kick-Off: Getting Started with the Great Southeast Pollinator Census" webinar to get a quick overview of how to do the Census and how you can get your community involved.
2025
The Knowledge is Pollinator Power Webinar was on Thursday, August 14, 2025, and it was a fun research update from three amazing pollinator researchers and another Census pep-rally! We talked about nectar resources in your flowers, bee host plants and butterflies.Watch the recording here.
"Get to Know the Insects" Insect Identification Webinar was held on Thursday, July 10, 2025. You can view the Insect Identification Webinar here. We are so grateful to Drs. Hannah Levenson and Matt Bertone for their time and expertise. The webinar was amazing! If you are worried about identifying the different insects, then watch this! The pop quiz was eye-opening!
