The Aquarium of the Pacific hopes you’re not a busy bee on Wednesday night, Sept. 7.

The popular Long Beach aquarium will teach folks about the importance of bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem this week as part of its regular and free First Wednesdays series.

“The Aquarium’s First Wednesdays offer a fun social night out,” Jennie Dean, vice president of education and conservation at the Aquarium of the Pacific, said in a statement, “where people can hear about an interesting topic from an expert, then grab a drink, listen to music, and enjoy bonus activities to round out the evening.”

Bees are incredibly important to the ecosystem, but their numbers have dwindled over the years. But earlier this year, a state judge recently reversed a previous decision that said bees weren’t protected under the California Endangered Species Act. Bees now fall under the act’s prtection thanks to a bit of legal semantics — with the judge saying bees, in some circumstances, can be considered fish.

The “Discover the World of Bees” event on Wednesday will be in the aquarium’s Honda Pacific Visions Theater and will begin at 7 p.m. with a lecture from nature educator and beekeeper Emilie Usher, from Alvéole.

Alvéole is an beekeeping company based in Canada, which installs honeybee hives in urban areas to help foster environmental awareness and inspire people to protect bees and other pollinators.

Usher will discuss the world inside the honeybee hive, the lives of the other important pollinators who support our food system and the role urban beekeeping (looking after honey bees in the city) can play in raising awareness about the diverse world of important pollinators, according to a press release from the aquarium, 100 Aquarium Way.

Usher is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and helps people connect with nature by teaching them about pollinators.

“People will walk away from this event with a better understanding of the impressive and diverse bees who contribute to our food system,” Usher said, “knowledge as to how we can all support the urban bees in our neighborhoods and, hopefully, a newfound love for bees.”

For those unable to attend in-person, the lecture will be livestreamed as well.

After the lecture, there will be a question-and-answer session, a social and cocktail hour with a honey tasting, and access to the Pacific Visions art gallery. Bee-themed souvenirs will be available to purchase as well.

“I am excited for people to discover the ‘invisible’ world of pollination around them,” Usher said, “and for the audience to have the chance to participate in a honey tasting after the event.

“A guided honey tasting,” Usher added, “is a fantastic way to connect and better understand the beauty of the relationship between bees and flowers.”

The aquarium particularly encourages high school and college students to attend, as well as adults of all ages.

“Attendees will have the chance to immerse themselves in the world of bees,” Dean said

Advanced online registration is required to attend in-person. Those interested can RSVP at bit.ly/3QWZGR3 or visit the Aquarium of the Pacific website. Parking for the event will be $8 with aquarium validation.