Native Bee Bulletin of the Washington Native Bee Society Summer 2026 It's mid-summer, and there's plentiful sunshine and warm, dry air. With less wildflowers in the lowlands, attention turns to the spectacular alpine meadows, or the gumweed blooms along saltwater beaches and desert roadsides. Wherever you are, if there are flowers blooming, look for bumble bees, leafcutters, and long-horneds in big numbers. Halictus rubicundus in flight. Image by Tony Dickey Events & Volunteer Opportunities...

It looks like spring, but it isn't. Every Washington spring we fall helplessly in love with Kwanzan cherry blossoms. These ornamental cherry trees burst into clouds of pink floral frill, and for a brief time, every manicured roadside and front yard takes on the look of a botanical garden. It's truly beautiful. It's tradition. It's also, I argue, a quiet catastrophe for the very creatures that make spring possible. Now, personal experience is important. Before you continue reading, if you...