We are happy to welcome our own Dr. Andrew Young who will talk about "Flower flies in the environment: wild pollination and pest control services".

Andrew grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and developed an early interest in insects and other wildlife by flipping rocks in his backyard, going on camping trips with his family, and obsessively reading and rereading North American field guides. He completed both a B. Sc. in zoology and an M. Sc. in systematic entomology at the University of Guelph, before moving to Ottawa, Ontario to complete a Ph. D. in association with Carleton University and the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes. After completing his postgraduate education, Andrew worked as a postdoctoral scholar in association with University of California Davis and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. He returned to the University of Guelph in 2020 as an assistant professor and focuses his research on the taxonomy, phylogenetics, and pollination services of flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae), one of our most important groups of native pollinators. One of Andrew’s main research interests is increasing the accessibility of taxonomy to non-specialists through the use of field guides and digital resources.

Everyone is welcome. Light refreshments are served.