February promises to be a "honey of a month" for the Honey and Pollination Center, UC Davis.

Thank the girls (the worker bees), the honey they produce, and visitors' yearnings to taste some of nature's delectable liquid gold.

First on tap is the "World of Honey--North America" event from 6:30 to 8:30 pm., Wednesday, Feb. 1 in the Sensory Theatre at the Mondavi Institute of Wine and Food Science, UC Davis campus. Amina Harris, director of the Honey and Pollination Center, says the varietal honeys featured will be:

• Avocado from Mexico
• Meadowfoam from Oregon
• American bamboo from New York and
• Orange blossom from California and Florida

Pollination ecologist Neal Williams, associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and a Chancellor's Fellow, will discuss native pollinators. His research ranges from basic bee and pollination biology to conservation biology and agricultural pollination. Among his many interests: the interactions of floral visitors and the flowers they pollinate, as well as their foraging activities.

In addition to directing the Honey and Pollination Center, Harris co-owns Z Specialty Food, LLC, Woodland, with her husband and son. A Z Specialty division, Moon Shine Trading Company, has been offering unique American varietal honeys for more than 30 years, winning awards from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) and the National Honey Board. Harris served on the NASFT board of directors for six years and also chaired the NASFT Winter and Spring Show Committees for several years.

To register for World of Honey, access this site on the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

And mark your calendar for another sweet event! Valentine's Day is nearing and that means it's time for the Honey and Pollination Center's annual fundraiser, "The Feast: A Celebration of Mead and Honey." The popular event is set from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Mondavi Center for Wine and Food Science. More information and registration will be posted here.

The Honey and Pollination Center, headquartered in the Mondavi Institute of Wine and Food Science and affiliated with the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, seeks to increase "consumer, industry and stakeholder understanding of the importance of bees, pollination, honey and other products of the hive to people and the environment through research, education, and outreach," Harris said.

In addition, the center has calendared a number of other events for 2017, including

• April 18: World of Honey Tasting Series (International)
• May 5-6: California Honey Festival (Woodland, Calif.)
• May 7: UC Davis Bee Symposium
• June 19-22: Advanced Mead Making

Bon appétit!