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BC Bee Atlas

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BC Bee Atlas at a glance

The BC Bee Atlas is the flagship project of the Native Bee Society of BC. It empowers British Columbian community scientists to produce biodiversity data and make amazing discoveries about the province's wild bees and diverse flora. Online education and data management are supported by the Oregon State University Extension Service Master Melittologist Program.

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  • The BC Bee Atlas began in 2021 as a pilot program, with a full program running since 2024.

  • We now have more than 85 Master Melittologists across the province.

  • Over 7,400 bee specimens and associated plants have been sampled to date with more than 5,000 bees identified to species. The Bee Atlas has identified more than 175 different species of bees thus far, with additional specimens awaiting identification. Bees from 38 genera, and all six of the bee families known in BC are represented.

  • BC Bee Atlas data is live managed on Ecdysis and shared annually with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 

Bee Atlas Update - 2024 Data

  • During 2024, Bee Atlas volunteers collected bees in 12 regional districts across the province between March and November.

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  • Over 115 survey days, 2,552 specimens were collected from six bee families, including 34 genera, and 136 bee species. Collections were made on 130 genera of plants from 39 different plant families. Plants from the Asteraceae family attracted the greatest bee diversity.

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  • Bee Atlas volunteers collected 20 blue-listed species in BC (at risk and considered to be of special concern), contributing to increased understanding of their populations.

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  • Volunteers contributed to tracking 12 non-native bee species, including species never before recorded in the province.

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  • 33 bee species known to have specialist plant relationships were documented. 

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  • Data collected during 2025 is currently being identified.​​​

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Yellow loosestrife bee (Macropis nuda)

© Jakob Dulisse

Globe mallow bee (Diadasia diminuta)

© Jakob Dulisse

Important findings

Rarely seen native BC bees

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  • All blue shortface bee (Dufourea holocyanea), specialized on snowberry

  • Biastes, a genus of cuckoo bees belonging to the Apidae family

  • The yellow loosestrife bee (Macropis nuda), specialized on an oil producing plant (Lysimachia ciliata)

  • The globe mallow bee (Diadasia diminuta), a cactus bee that specializes on globe mallow

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Introduced species from four different bee families

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  • Apidae:

Common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)

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  • Colletidae:

Punctate masked bee (Hylaeus punctatus)

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  • Halictidae:

Lassioglossum buccale

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  • Megachilidae: 

European woolcarder bee (Anthidium manacatum)

Oblong woolcarder bee (Anthidium oblongatum)

Sleepy scissor bee (Chelostoma florisomne) - A new record for North America!

Alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata)

European mason bee (Osmia cornuta)

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