Washington Native Bee Society

A common response to a great macro photo is: "You must have a great camera." Expect a polite non-response. Andrena prunorum, Beacon Food Forest, Seattle May 2025 (click to enlarge) Cameras play a key role in providing images that engage the public. Without the public mind, what good is an image that rests on your SD card or hard drive? What you do with your photos is perhaps more important than taking them. If you do something repeatedly, you will improve. I'm proud to contr

The focus of this blog is on the topic of “take” (collecting) as it applies to wildlife species, including bees and other insects, with the primary focus on our Washington state laws.

Habropoda miserabilis, Pacific Dune Digger bees, nesting, dune specialist, Blue-eyed Mary, psammophile, Seablush, Collinsia parviflora

The first Washington state iNaturalist verified observation of the species, Hylaeus basalis, (Cinquefoil Masked Bee).

The Vancouver Bee Project is leading the charge in conservation and education, fostering a community that cherishes and supports pollinators. From native plant seed libraries to school programs, our work revolves around one goal: building a pollinator-friendly future.

Whether you a a bee-ginner with a cell phone or a taxonomist with a fancy camera, there is lots to learn on iNat.

Digger bees (genus Anthophora) are often the first native bees to be found in a Seattle spring.