On Wednesday, Nov. 15, attend a presentation by natural history and conservation photographer Clay Bolt that features images and stories about the rusty-patched bumble bee and other native North American bees. In 2013, Bolt set out on a mission to photograph some of the more than 4,000 species of native bees that live in North America when he happened upon a rusty-patched bumble bee specimen as part of a scientific collection. He became fascinated with the specimen, learning as much as he could about the rusty-patched bumble bee and its tragic decline, and went on to collaborate with partners on a film which was shown all across the country, including on Capitol Hill. Bolt’s efforts paid off in March 2017, as the rusty-patched bumble bee became the first species of native North American bees to receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. For more information about Bolt’s free ECCE Speaker Series presentation, titled “Hope is the Thing with Little Clear Wings,” visit http://uis.edu/speakerseries/events.