Join Minnesota Sea Grant's Bugs Below Zero project team for a virtual field trip hosted by Minnesota Master Naturalist. From the warmth of indoors, journey to a Minnesota stream to find some cold-hardy insect species, a favorite food for stream fish, such as trout. Additionally, you’ll learn how you can volunteer to help with monitoring efforts that expand the scope of Bugs Below Zero research efforts.
Some insects, including certain stoneflies, mayflies, caddisflies, and non-biting midges, are active only during the winter season and can often be found walking on snow banks near spring-fed streams. These winter-active species are a vitally important food source for stream fish like trout and have interesting life history strategies that help them to not only survive, but thrive during Minnesota’s coldest season.
Date:
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Time:
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT
Location:
Online via Zoom (Meeting ID: 973 2303 5227)
Passcode: BBZ
Cost:
Free - no registration required!
Presenters:
- Alyssa Anderson, associate professor, Department of Biology, Southwest Minnesota State University.
- Amy Schrank, extension program leader and fisheries and aquaculture extension educator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth.
- Rebecca Swenson, associate professor, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota.
About Bugs Below Zero:
Bugs Below Zero was developed to show avid trout fishers, teachers, and K-12 students the importance of winter stream food webs and how they can be involved in community science to contribute to stream conservation and winter ecology research.
Want more information?
Learn more about Bugs Below Zero and find free classroom educational resources, or check out Minnesota Master Naturalist.
Contact:
Amy Schrank
Extension Program Leader (2023); Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator
Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth.
Image credit: Krista Styer/University of Minnesota