Latest news with #SamDroege
Washington Post
8 hours ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Bees are in trouble – and the federal lab researching them could close
LAUREL, Maryland — Sam Droege, sporting worn hiking boots and blue jeans, walked through a lush field of tall grass and poison ivy — a typical commute to the government lab he has run for more than 23 years. The wildlife biologist paused between the two cream-colored sheds that house one of the country's largest bee collections. His floral shirt billowed in the breeze as he pointed out different plants. 'Bastard toadflax,' Droege chuckled. 'Great name.' The meadow was awash with sunlight and birdsong. Butterflies and bees flitted from bud to bud, digging their furry faces into dusty pollen.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Frederick County to join other communities in global science event focused on observing wildlife
Frederick County is joining other communities in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area — and other regions worldwide — in the 2025 City Nature Challenge in April, in which residents compete to observe and identify as many wildlife species as possible. The City Nature Challenge started in 2016 as a competition between two cities — San Francisco and Los Angeles — to see who could gather the most wildlife observations over a few days. This year, more than 600 cities in over 50 countries are expected to participate, according to a news release from the local nonprofit Mobilize Frederick. The challenge will take place from April 25 to 28, and a schedule of events is available at More information on the challenge can be viewed at The data collected on wild animals, plants and fungi anywhere in the county, from parks and porches to schools and backyards, will help inform scientists on wildlife and global biodiversity. To participate, residents have to create an account on the app iNaturalist, which is the main tool for the City Nature Challenge, and join the City Nature Challenge: Washington DC Metro Area 2025 project on the app. Team Frederick aims to include 200 observers, identify 600 species and make 2,000 observations. Mobilize Frederick focuses on implementing recommendations in Frederick County's Climate Response and Resilience Report. The data collected through this challenge will contribute Recommendation 26: enhancing and protecting regional biodiversity. Although the actual challenge is at the end of April, Team Frederick is hosting several events leading up to the challenge, including sessions on how to use iNaturalist and nature-related storytime events at Frederick County libraries. To kick off the inaugural challenge, Team Frederick will host an event on April 2 at 6 p.m. at the Bernard W. Brown Community Center featuring Sam Droege, a U.S. Geological Survey bee biologist and 'bioblitz' pioneer. Bioblitz is another term for a community effort to record as many species as possible in a designated location and time period. There will be an informational webinar on how to use iNaturalist on April 8 and an in-person iNaturalist app training on April 9 at the Frederick County University of Maryland Extension office on Montevue Avenue. A post-City Nature Challenge celebration will be held on May 13 at RAK Brewing Co. where Team Frederick's resulting observations will be shared.
