FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS FOR BEE COURSE PARTICIPANTS

What's the station like?

The SWRS facilities, environment, and other introductory information is provided on the Station's web site at http://research.amnh.org/swrs/

NOTE: Three to four participants (of same gender) will be housed in very comfortable, dormitory-style cabin rooms, each with beds, bedding, and separate bathroom/shower facilities.

Misc. information: The Station provides laundry facilities (washer, dryer, and detergent) for free. Three meals are served daily including vegetarian and vegan.

How do I get to the Station?

The Bee Course 2008 travel day for arrival is August 24. The departure travel day is September 3.

Flying. If you are flying into Tucson International Airport, vans will be waiting for pick ups between Noon and 4:00 p.m. The meeting area will be in the main restaurant on the airport's upper level, "Jet Rock Cafe" (not the satellite restaurants that are near the gates). Instructors will be waiting for you there, next to "The Bee Course" sign, which can be seen in the adjacent photograph.

If you encounter difficulty in scheduling an arrival time between Noon and 4:00 p.m. on August 24, you may want to consider arriving in Tucson on August 23, staying overnight at one of the nearby airport hotels, and then taking a short taxi ride to the airport the next day. One hotel that people commonly stay at is Best Western Las Brisas Hotel, Tuscon Airport, 7060 South Tucson Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85706; (520) 746-0271, free van service is available to the airport.

As often happens, planes get delayed. If you encounter significant travel problems on August 23/24, please contact the Research Station at (520) 558-2396, as soon as you can. Instructors at the airport will be calling the Station to learn of any travel problems.

For those flying out of Tucson, transport to the airport will be available on September 3. Vans will leave the Station at 9:00 a.m. Therefore, departing flights should be scheduled to leave after 1:00 pm.

Driving. If you are driving to the Research Station via Tucson, the Station's web site provides the following instructions: "Interstate Highway 10 to N.M. 80 (Road Forks, N.M.), 25 mi south to turnoff west to Portal (N.M. 533). The Station is 5 mi west of Portal, by paved road, in Cave Creek Canyon, Cochise Co., Arizona."

IMPORTANT: Be sure to take Route 80 off of Highway 10, only AFTER you cross the border from Arizona into New Mexico. Also, note that the "5 mi west of Portal" is a long 5 miles. The road is narrow and full of curves and turns. The Station will be on the left-hand side of the road and is marked by a sign.

What do I need to do to prepare for the course?

No preparation for the course is required. However, advance readings (identified below) are recommended, which would be especially helpful for individuals with little or no entomological background.

The course textbook is The Bee Genera of North and Central America, Michener, C.D., R.J. McGinley and B.N. Danforth, 1994, Smithsonian Press. Recommended reading: pages 8-14 ("Terminology of Structures;" don't worry about memorizing details in advance). The Bees of the World, by O'Toole, C. and A. Raw, 1999 paperback edition, Blandford Press, is used as an auxiliary text. Recommended reading: pages 10-33 ("What are Bees?" and "The Families of Bees and Where they Live"). Participants who don't own these books will be sent xerox copies of recommended advance readings upon request.

Copies of both books will be available for all participants' use during the course. Those wanting to purchase their own copies should be advised that the Michener et al. book is currently out of print.

What do I need to bring with me for the course?

The following supplies will be available to all students for use during the course. Individuals who have certain supplies of their own are encouraged to bring them. This is especially true with regard to such items as the course books, insect nets, fine forceps, etc.

  • Michener et al., The Bee Genera of North and Central America
  • O'Toole and Raw, The Bees of the World
  • Note: Copies of local floral books and Mich's new Bees of the World will be around the lab
  • Microscopes and lighting systems
  • Cyanide killing tubes
  • Insect pins (#2 & #3)
  • Point punch, paper and glue for double-mounting small specimens [if you prefer to use minutin double-mounts, and have access to them, bring your own.]
  • Pinning block
  • Fine forceps
  • Scissors
  • Insect storage boxes
  • Plant presses
  • Plastic bags for collecting flowers in field
  • "Pill" boxes for specimen field storage

The following items are things that you are expected to bring:

  • Notebook for course lectures, labs and seminars
  • Field notebook for use in the field [small, hardcover notebook works best]
  • Flashlight [areas of the Station are very dark at night - flashlights are important]
  • Sweater and/or jacket [evenings can get quite cool]
  • Rain gear
  • Sun lotion
  • Alarm clock
  • Canteen or water bottle
  • Collecting bag or small backpack to carry gear in field
  • Cash [for local personal purchases; there are no local ATM machines]
  • Sturdy boots

The following items are things that you might consider bringing:

  • Laptop computer [the Station has a computer room with both a Mac & DOS machine; however, these can get quite busy - so, individuals so inclined should bring a laptop. Also, note that e-mail access is available, but quite restricted due to Station business until after-hour periods]
  • Binoculars [the Station area is renowned for its' bird fauna, so if you want to see the Trogons and hummingbirds, bring your binocs]
  • Swim suit [the Station has an excellent swimming pool]
  • Large towel for pool [the Station provides towels but you might want a large one for the pool]
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Swiss Army knife (or something of the sort)
  • Hand lens
  • Earplugs [in case of snoring roommate(s)]

Misc. supplies information:

The vans returning from Tucson airport on August 24 will make a stop at the well-supplied Safeway in Willcox, Arizona. There you can purchase those items that you manage to forget, e.g., sun lotion, flashlights, as well as any special snacks and/or refreshments that you might want to have at the Station. NOTE: general-use refrigerators are available in the Station's Main House.

The local Portal Store (5 miles from the Station) provides basic amenities. We usually stop there on field trip days to stock up on bottled water and sodas.

The Station's front office sells souvenir items, as well as field guides and local-area history books.

Can I keep the specimens I collect during the course?

Yes! We want students to go home with bees that are correctly identified to genus and properly labeled. We will be generating specimen labels at the Station. Remember that you will be returning with one or two insect boxes (that you didn't come with) and should anticipate this for your return packing.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife export forms (#3-177) will be available for all non-U.S. participants. However, these participants are responsible for any permits and/or paperwork required by their home countries.

How do I pay the Station fees?

All students are expected to pay Station fees, $500 covering room and board, prior to departure. The Station accepts cash, money orders (in U.S. dollars), and credit cards (MC, VISA, DISC), but not personal checks.

Do I need extra money at the Station?

The Stations fees of $500 cover all of your expenses (room, meals including lunches on field trips, laundry) at the SWRS. However, if you wish meals at the airport as you arrive or depart or you wish to purchase snacks at the Portal Store or in the Safeway in Willcox, you must be prepared to cover these expenses on your own.