UNIVERSITY PARK — An eight-part webinar series developed by Penn State Extension aims to teach people all about bees, discussing topics as diverse as colony survival, queen bee rearing and transforming one’s garden into a pollinator-friendly habitat.

“The main goal of this series is to provide basic knowledge about bee biology, the importance of pollinators, the problems they face and how they can be managed,” said Margarita López-Uribe, assistant professor of entomology and scientist with the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State.

“Our hope is that, by the end of the series, participants of this webinar will be more knowledgeable about bee biology in general, and will be able to use this knowledge to manage bees and enhance habitat for bees and other pollinators,” she said.

The series, which began June 3, has attracted a great deal of attention, with more than 2,000 people from 16 countries registering for the first session. Though the first two sessions have taken place, the recordings are available to new or returning registrants.

“The feedback we have received so far is that the topics are providing new and interesting information to many participants, and, for others, are broadening their understanding about the biology and ecology of bees,” López-Uribe said. “We are starting with basic topics, but we hope that we can provide more advanced topics in the future. Given the great turnout so far, this series may be extended into the fall.”

The free pollinator series continues weekly through July 22. Webinar topics and dates are available on the Penn State Extension website.