The Buzz
- Native Bee Society of BC
- Apr 2
- 20 min read
Updated: Apr 15
Newsletter of the Native Bee Society of British Columbia April 2025
Volume 6 | Issue 1
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Editors-in-chief: C. Thuring & M. Marriott
Contributors: Sky Jarvis, Bonnie Zand, Lori Weidenhammer, Gwendolyn Williams Cover image: Andrena male resting on willow blooms (Salix); Cowichan Valley, BC
Photo: Jade Lee
Buzz Straight to Article:
Personal Story: My Community of Beeple
Seedy Saturdays: A Celebration of Gardening, Sustainability, and Native Bees!
Specialist Bee Plant Search: Help Us Find Cool Bees!
by Lori Weidenhammer
Bee taxonomist Lincoln Best had been searching for a medium-sized black bee for almost a decade. For days on end, he searched the dainty yellow flowers this bee uses to feed its larvae. He’d almost given up, when he spotted what he thought might be the dark-footed yellow loosestrife bee (Macropis nuda). The medium-sized bee was quite dark—mostly black, apart from the white hairs on her back legs. She appeared to be gathering nectar from the flowers, but Best knew she was actually collecting the floral oils and pollen from this plant. Sure enough, he’d finally struck melittological gold.
It’s been about eight years since Lincoln Best made an incredible discovery and found the first ever record of a Macropis bee in British Columbia. This was a significant find because they had never been seen in Canada west of the Rocky Mountains. How did he find it? By camping in the Pend d’Oreille region and searching for the flowers this specialist bee needs to survive: fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata). The flower is unusual because it offers floral oils to a attract visiting bees rather than nectar. This bee is unusual because it is in the Melittidae family and the female collects floral oils and pollen from the flowers on its long hairs or setae on her back legs. She uses the oil to waterproof her nest tunnels in the ground and as food for the larvae, along with pollen from the plant. Her babies are oligolectic (aka picky eaters) and they need this plant to survive. Find the flower and you might find the bee. Now that we know it’s here, we have a much better chance of finding it in more places in BC, and we need your help.
Several invasive species of loostrife occur in BC, such purple loostrife (Lythrum salicaria), which invades wetlands and is very difficult to control. Two beetles and a weevil have been introduced as biological controls for this species in Canada. You might have a non-native species of yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata) growing in your garden, which is also invasive. There are other non-native species that are weedy but not currently listed as invasive, like Lysimachia vulgaris and L. nummularia, aka Creeping Jenny (which is sold in the garden trade).
While we do wonder if weedy Lysimachia could serve as host plant for these oil collecting bees, we know without a doubt that this bee needs the native Lysimachia. As such, we advise removing any invasive Lysimachia from your garden or landscape. The jury is still out on whether creeping Jenny is invasive, but we don't think it's a risk worth taking.
Back to our native species, fringed yellow loosestrife thrives in wetlands, but it is relatively low to the ground and has simple yellow flowers. Take a good look at the photos below and see if you can find some! If you find some, we’d appreciate if you took good photos of the flowers and the leaves and then posted them on iNaturalist. If you happen to see bees on it, we’d LOVE photos of those, too! You might just spot our little oil-collector!
Also helpful observations are notes if the plant is leafing, budding, blooming, or going to seed. This helps us figure out the timing of when we need to send our bee seekers to the area when the plant is fully in bloom and most likely to attract foraging bees. There are also cultivars of L. ciliata and it would be interesting to study whether the Macropis bees can get nourishment from these. However, again we must weigh the risks of this plant crossing with the native Lysimachia and rendering it useless for the Macropis bees.
Any bee observations posted on iNaturalist in BC are collected in our Bee Tracker Project.
There are only four records of Macropis nuda on iNat, all from BC. Jacob Dulisse took a wonderful photo of the bee on the flower:
Here is a description of how you, too, can take useful photos of bees for iNaturalist!
Please help us find and document these and other cool specialist bees! If you have a garden, check out and download BC plants that attract specialist bees, one for the coastal region and one for the southern interior. Similarly, check out our forage resources for spealist bees. If you live in these regions and see specialist host plants in the landscape, please record their sites and locations, so we can send teams out to look for the bees that rely on them!
Bio
Lori Weidenhammer, aka Madame Beespeaker is a Vancouver performance-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. She is a settler originally from a tiny hamlet called Cactus Lake, Saskatchewan. It is in this place, bordered by wheat fields and wild prairie, that she first became enchanted with bees. She is the author of an award-winning book called Victory Gardens for Bees: A DIY Guide for Saving the Bees, published by Douglas and McIntyre. She is working on a revised version of this book to be released in the spring of 2025. There will be an e-book and a hard copy version available soon!
2025 Master Melittology Conference
The 6th annual Master Melittology Conference took place Sunday, March 2, 2025. Our board member, and the BC Master Melittology instructor, Bonnie Zand, was there representing BC with an incredible presentation showcasing the achievements of the program, as well as all the events the Native Bee Society of BC put on in 2024.
Check out the presentation, our accomplishments and our goals for 2025:
We learned about the challenges the program faces, such as reaching bee enthusiasts in the northern part of the province, and the progress we’ve made: producing some incredible free resources for public education, recruiting new students, and launching the BC Bee Atlas!
Some awards were given out to exceptional participants like Monica Zieper for “Most Bees!” Monica is in the mid-north east part of the province doing her best to collect data in the area. Elaine Sedgman was awarded the “BC Service Award” for her tireless dedication to education and outreach in her community in the Kamloops area. And Gwendolyn Williams was awarded “Most Improved” for diving into volunteer work as soon as she started in October 2024.
Some rare bee discoveries were also made that we were excited to share with our sister programs at the conference! Bob McDougall, Jade Lee, and Sherlene Wong all collected data on some interesting finds.
Personal Story: My Community of Beeple
by Gwendolyn Williams
It wasn’t long ago, I was digging in the Spring garden while having my morning coffee when a big fat bumblebee landed on my hand. She began to groom herself while enjoying how warm I was. I’m a nature nerd, so I knew she was a bumblebee, not a European honey bee. I knew there were at least two kinds of bees! But it struck me that despite knowing the Latin names of many of the native plants in the forest behind my house, I didn’t know much at all about the bees that frequent them.
I input my observation of her with a photo into my iNaturalist app and got an immediate suggestion of “Bombus vancouverensis”. I thought that sounded great! Maybe each area has its own type of Bumblebee?
Shortly after, a kind iNaturalist user named Beespeaker suggested Bombus melanopygus instead, and a few others agreed with them. At that moment, the depth of my ignorance inspired a fury of hyperfocus! On the iNaturalist app, I highlighted my little forest area on Vancouver Island and asked it to show me all the Bumblebees (Bombus). Immediately, it showed me 12 species of Bombus - I was floored! I had never thought too deeply about all the different colourations of fluffy bees. I changed the search from Bombus to “bees” (Anthophila) and was slapped with a whopping 72 species! I was hooked.
I began downloading some podcasts and borrowing books about bees. I became an avid listener of the Pollination podcast from the Oregon State Extension service. The host, Andony Melathopoulos, interviewed experts about bees. Eventually, all my internet diving brought me to the Native Bee Society of BC. I joined the membership for a small fee and registered for the Monthly Study Group. Being slightly introverted, I stayed on mute, off-camera, while a group of enthusiastic people animatedly talked about bees on Zoom, showing each other bee pictures from the last month. They were so genuinely in love with the fluffy little creatures they studied that I was brave enough to add my photo for discussion the next month and even ventured on camera to introduce myself.
On one episode of Pollination, Lincoln Best, the taxonomist for the Oregon Bee Atlas and NBSBC board member, talked about the Oregon State University Master Melittologist program and how it has expanded outside of Oregon and into Washington, Idaho and BC. A self-paced program to learn about wild native bees? I signed up immediately. The BC instructor and taxonomist was Bonnie Zand, the host of our study groups and another NBSBC board member (and very busy person). I was beginning to see the community forming before me.
I signed up for a field training day with the program to learn how to collect data on wild native bees properly. There, a group of students and one instructor adventured in nature, chatted about bees, shared pictures and tips, and had an incredible day despite the rain. Fast forward, and I’ve gone on lots of data collection trips since that season, became fast friends with several of the “beeple” I met there, was encouraged to volunteer with the Native Bee Society, and eventually joined the board. I have met so many citizen scientists busily donating all their spare time to education and reaching out to the public.
The Native Bee Society has many incredibly active members creating outreach in their communities, leading education and data collection, and cherishing these creatures for their beauty and importance. The Master Melittology program has me identifying some of BC’s 500+ bee species at the genus level under a microscope. I’ve spent countless hours in the woods, staring at flowering trees. I could not have imagined the impact that a fat, fluffy bumblebee crawling on my hand would have. I’m so grateful to be here, welcomed warmly into such an incredibly diverse and compassionate community of citizen scientists, artists, naturalists, conservationists, and pollinator enthusiasts.
Editors' Note: Check out our NBSBC Bee Tracker on iNaturalist to share and compare your own observations with other BC bee enthusiasts. Or take a deeper dive and further you bee education with one of our upcoming bee schools (see Upcoming Events in this newsletter for details).
Bio
Gwendolyn Williams is an artist, tattoo artist, and citizen scientist on Vancouver Island, BC. She is a life-long nature lover and gardener, and comes from a family of farmers in the Okanagan. Now, an apprentice-level graduate, she is working towards her parataxonomist certification with the Master Melittology Program of OSU. She is a new board member with the Native Bee Society of BC.
Announcement: NBSBC Joins 1% for the Planet
The Native Bee Society of BC is pleased to announce we have joined 1% for the Planet as an environmental partner! This exciting opportunity will allow us to expand our impact and engage more businesses in supporting environmental initiatives, notably the conservation of native bee populations.
1% for the Planet is an accountability partner for businesses that are committed to doing more for the environment. By pledging 1% of their sales to environmental causes, these businesses are making a positive impact and rejecting the status quo. Founded in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, 1% for the Planet has helped direct hundreds of millions of dollars to environmental partners working on vital global issues.
According to Chouinard, “The intent of 1% for the Planet is to help fund diverse environmental organizations so that, collectively, they can be a more powerful force in solving the world’s problems.”
As a member of this community, the Native Bee Society of BC is excited to strengthen our efforts in promoting native bee conservation and raise awareness about the essential role these pollinators play in ecosystems across our region.
Upcoming Events
We're gearing up for another busy summmer of bee education and outreach! Below are some of the events we will be hosting. Keep an eye on our website Events page and BC Native Bees Instagram for all the latest buzz on what we're up to in the months ahead.
Native Bee Study Group, Wednesday, April 23, 7pm, on Zoom
Join the Native Bee Study Group for our April 2025 meeting. Our online study group meets on the fourth Wednesday each month (except December) at 7 pm via Zoom, hosted by Bonnie Zand. This group is open to all levels of bee knowledge. We look forward to seeing you there. RSVP here.
Nanaimo Mini Bee School (Two-day Bee Biology and Identification Workshop), May 10–11, Nanaimo, BC
Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street
Learn about the diversity of common bee species observed on Vancouver Island. On day 1 we will examine bee specimens using digital microscopes and learn about the key ID features that can be observed in the field and in photographs. On Day 2, participants have the opportunity to put these learned skills to the test with a day of mentorship on Field Collecting techniques. Taught by Bonnie Zand, assisted by Jade Lee. Find out more and register online.
BC Native Bee Course 2025, June 11-15, Penticton, BC
Learn to survey and identify BC's Native Bees! Our 2025 Native Bee Course and Field Trips are being hosted in Penticton and Okanagan-Similkameen this year, taught by lead instructor Lincoln Best and co-instructor, Bonnie Zand. The lab component takes place over 3 days, June 11-13, at Okanagan College in Penticton, BC. Field trips occur over the weekend of June 14-15 at the Burnell Lake Rec Site, and are also open to those who do not take part in the lab component so you can join us in the lab, in the field or both! Find out all about it and register online here.
Save the Date! Prince George Mini Bee School (Two-day Bee Biology and Identification Workshop), Aug 2-3, Prince George, BC
Have you always wanted to know how to ID the amazing diversity of bees buzzing around your flowers? Where do they nest, what do they eat, and how can you support them? Join our Bee Biology and Identification workshop! The Lab/Classroom session will take place on August 2, followed by Field Study on August 3. More details on the Prince George offering of this popular workshop is coming soon - stay tuned to our our Events page and BC Native Bees Instagram for updates!
If you would like to represent native bees/NBSBC at an upcoming event in your community, or know of an event that would benefit from having a native bee representative attend, please send us an email to discuss how we can be involved.
Genera Profile: Hylaeus
Well, hello, Hylaeus! Did you know we have 14 species of Hylaeus (Masked Bees) in BC? These tiny bees are almost entirely black with little yellow markings and can be found from spring to fall, foraging on many kinds of flowers from Cinquefoil to Queen Anne's Lace. These bees nest in hollow or pithy plant stems, but sometimes in soil, and line their nests with a cellophane-like substance that they produce and paint on with their tongues. Hylaeus carry their provisions internally in a compartment called a crop, rather than externally in pollen-carrying hairs the way most bees do. Because they lack these pollen carrying hairs, they are often mistaken for wasps even by seasoned bee-thusiasts!
These bee genera profiles are currently available for free download on our website.
2025 Board Retreat Summary: Visioning and Goals
by Sky Jarvis
The dedicated board members of the BC Native Bee Society met in January for a hybrid (online and in-person) strategic retreat. This annual event aims at fostering connections amongst the volunteer board members, in a setting that breaks free from our month-to-month meetings. The goal is to provide higher-level oversight to the Society. This year, as a team, the board looked ahead, 6-10 years, with reflections on what's been working, and what could be improved to better align our operations with where we want to be by 2035. This article breaks down the main outcomes of our strategic sessions over two days. We welcome feedback and comments from our general members!
Before anything, thanks to all the volunteers whose time, dedication, and donations continue to support science, art, and community-based conservation of BC’s nearly 600 documented species of native bees.
Organizational Review
In this session, we focused on reviewing the Board’s roles and responsibilities, with emphasis on outreach, education, and mentoring. One idea is to expand mentoring through workshops and Mini Bee schools, fostering a more resilient and skilled network of instructors (mentorships are currently organic and informal). Suggestions included compensating Journey-level MM students as teaching assistants for mini bee schools.
Key priorities for the Society’s growth include bee school development, refining our funding model, and establishing more academic and government partnerships. We discussed other important goals, too, such as charitable status, board succession, capacity building, and member engagement.
Strategic Goals for the Next 5 Years
BC Bee Atlas & OutreachThe idea of fostering a robust BC Bee Atlas remains the primary goal of the Society at this time, with an emphasis on creating a functional, data-driven platform.
We also talked about creating a "Bee Ambassador" program to enhance our outreach, with considerations for trademarking the title as part of the Society’s brand. Implementation at this time is seen as a mid- to long-term goal.
Charitable StatusWe are actively working towards the Society's charitable status. This would eventually require constitutional changes, so a special meeting will likely be held in the future for a membership vote.
Core FundingSecuring multi-year, stable funding is critical. Efforts include pursuing government, academia, and corporate partnerships, with a target of $50-75K annually.
Investment Strategy
A proposal to create a separate VanCity investment account for returns on short-term savings.
Regional Growth & Social MediaEfforts to expand the Society’s reach into northern regions include hosting bee schools and offering scholarships for MM students. Social media expansion is also key for fundraising and member recruitment. Plans to boost presence through regular posts and further fundraising campaigns.
2025 Programming
Event Planning The Society will continue with tabling, presentations, and workshops at relevant events. Opportunities to present at organizations such as Bee City, Van Dusen, and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) were highlighted. A focus was placed on reaching new audiences through collaborations with complementary organizations and planning events like World Bee Day and Earth Day.
Mini Bee SchoolsA couple of mini bee schools are planned for 2025, including Nanaimo and Williams Lake and potentially Prince George, Revelstoke, the Sunshine Coast, and Kootenays. Costs for instructors were discussed, with the need for early compensation agreements to ensure financial feasibility. Partnerships with organizations like the Columbia Mountain Institute of Applied Ecology and the College of Applied Biology could help attract professionals to these courses.
BC Bee Course 2025 (Scheduled in Penticton, June 11-15)Having committed to another "Bee School" in BC's native bee hotspot, we're now aiming to establish for clearer and earlier compensation agreements for our instructors. Registration is open!
Membership
Retention and Membership StructureThe Society is seeing a slight decline in membership (only 30-40 out of 100 members renewing annually). Ideas to boost retention included offering multi-year memberships and introducing auto-renewal or lifetime memberships. The Xerxes model of encouraging donations alongside membership was also discussed as a potential future strategy.
Membership CampaignsA membership recruitment campaign was proposed, possibly incentivizing members to recruit others. Including a membership option in club communications was suggested to increase sign-ups.
Diversification
Just as native bees thrive in diverse ecosystems, we believe conservation efforts are strongest when they include a wide range of voices, perspectives, and experiences. We aim to foster an inclusive community where Indigenous knowledge, scientific research, and lived experiences are valued equally in protecting BC’s native pollinators. We aim to diversify our board and membership, and build more accessibility into our education and programming.
Nature ClubsGiven our membership with the BC Federation of Nature Clubs, our membership could be expanded by engaging and collaborating with other nature clubs. Specifically, we discussed a promotional approach through BC Nature’s newsletter and regional coordinators.
Day Member Category & InsuranceThe need for a day-member category to provide insurance coverage for events. A model similar to Kamloops Nature Club (e.g. charging a $1 fee for day members)
Organization Structure - Lessons from the Oregon Bee Atlas
Sustainability and Scale The cost of hiring staff is significantly higher than salary costs, and building a bee atlas program has proven to be a resource-intensive effort, unrealistic for a 35-40 hour workweek. To fund the program, a strategy needs to be developed that raises $100,000 for staff salaries and $35,000 for annual operational costs. Scaling the program is essential, and funding sources could include working groups, the federal government, and academic partnerships.
Collaboration with Academia and GovernmentStrong collaborations with academia and government are crucial for sustainability. Securing buy-in from academic partners and government officials to help write grants and provide support is necessary for long-term success. The Oregon Bee Atlas benefited significantly from the state’s license plate funding program, described as a “money from heaven” resource. The lesson was clear: avoid overcommitting and prioritize strategic actions.
Strategic Direction for Bee AtlasThe Society should determine its role in managing the bee atlas. If the Society plans to run the project with an academic partner like Oregon State University, this requires a different approach compared to a model where the Society takes full responsibility. Clear roles and partnerships, potentially formalized through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), need to be established. It was also noted that advocacy work cannot be pursued while seeking charitable status.
Communication with Our Members
Email CommunicationIt was agreed that the Society’s email communication could be significantly improved. A plan was proposed to send a standardized monthly email to all members and subscribers, featuring a call to action (e.g., membership renewal) and listing events for the month. The aim is to provide timely, relevant information, including how donations are used, to keep members informed and engaged.
Newsletter Enhancements To increase the newsletter’s visibility, keywords will be used to improve searchability and SEO rankings. Captions will be added to all photos, and key terms will be repeated to improve Google search results.
Bee City Canada Bee City Canada offers an opportunity to engage members and attract new ones. NBSBC is collaborating with Bee City Canada by developing a model to help BC towns, cities campuses, and First Nation reserves achieve Bee City status. Members and/ or interested citizens will have access to a toolbox of resources to move this forward in their communities.
Additional Communication Strategies Suggestions included utilizing iNaturalist groups to engage members year-round and offering certificates with expiration dates as incentives to renew memberships.
Bio
Sky Jarvis, NBSBC Vice-President and Co-Chair, lives and works in the areas around Kamloops with her son Cedar on the lands of the Secwépemc Nation (Shuswap Nation). She is dedicated to creating tangible benefits for her community through her work with the Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society and her involvement with The Native Bee Society of BC, BC Marsh Monitoring Program, and Kamloops Naturalist Club.
Seedy Saturdays: A Celebration of Gardening, Sustainability, and Native Bees!
by Sky Jarvis
Seedy Saturdays are lively events that spring up throughout British Columbia each year, marking the start of the growing season and the blossoming local gardening and sustainability movement. This movement is making a positive impact on food security and, of course, supporting our beloved native bees! These gatherings unite gardeners, farmers, and community members with a shared passion for sustainable food systems and biodiversity, all while celebrating "the power of seeds." If you haven’t yet checked out a Seedy Saturday, the Native Bee Society encourages you to do so—especially if you're passionate about gardening and the environment.
The roots of Seedy Saturdays in BC date back to the early 1990s, when the BC Seed Security Program, a provincially-based non-profit, introduced the concept. Their goal? To promote local, organic seed-saving practices and encourage more resilient, diverse, and locally-based food systems. The idea was simple but powerful: bring together gardeners, farmers, seed savers, and experts in a communal space to swap seeds, share knowledge, and exchange tips on sustainable farming.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the very first Seedy Saturday took place in Vancouver?
These events have always served multiple purposes:
Preserving and sharing non-GMO, open-pollinated, and heritage seeds
Promoting biodiversity and food sovereignty at the local level
Creating community-driven learning opportunities (such as workshops on seed-saving, sustainable gardening, and organic farming)
Fostering community connections and empowering individuals to take control of their food systems
Reducing reliance on industrial agriculture
As Seedy Saturdays have grown in popularity, so has the number of events! Now, cities and towns across BC host their own versions, making this movement one of the largest seed swaps in North America. It’s a wonderful opportunity to build community, share resources, and connect more deeply with the land and the food we eat. The Native Bee Society of British Columbia (NBSBC) has also made its mark at these events, setting up educational tables to raise awareness about the essential role native bees play in pollinating food crops—a vital ecosystem service.
Fun Fact: Approximately 1 in 3 bites of food we consume as humans can be traced back to plants that have been pollinated by bees!
How to Get Involved:
Getting involved in Seedy Saturdays is easy!
Find an event in your area. There are more than 40 events held throughout the province! These events typically happen in early spring, often in February or March, right before the growing season begins, but there are still a few coming up in April in some parts of BC!
Keep an eye on local community centers, farmers’ markets, or environmental organizations for announcements.
Bring seeds to swap or donate: It’s a great chance to exchange surplus seeds for something new.
Volunteer or host a table: For those looking to dive deeper, consider joining other NBSBC members at a table or volunteering to host a Native Bee table at your local event (we have tabling resource packages available!).
Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a master melittologist, or just starting your gardening journey, Seedy Saturdays are a perfect way to meet like-minded people, expand your knowledge, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Bio
Sky Jarvis, NBSBC Vice-President and Co-Chair, lives and works in the areas around Kamloops with her son Cedar on the lands of the Secwépemc Nation (Shuswap Nation). She is dedicated to creating tangible benefits for her community through her work with the Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society and her involvement with The Native Bee Society of BC, BC Marsh Monitoring Program, and Kamloops Naturalist Club.
Recent Events
Since our last newsletter, the NBSBC was busily leading or taking part in a number of events around the province. These include, but are not limited to:
Seedy Saturdays, March 2025
The NBSBC has been busy attending Seedy Saturday events around the province (see Sky Jarvis' article above for a full description of Seedy Saturdays).
Images above are from spring 2025 Seedy events in: Victoria (photos 1. 2, 3), Saltair (4, 5, 6), West Vancouver (7, 8), Sooke (9, 10), Duncan (11), Campbell River (12, 13, 14).
Our gratitude goes out to all of the amazing bee-loving volunteers who came out to represent BC native bees at these events! Thanks to them, you could find the NBSBC at a Seedy Saturday table in all these communities this spring:
Kamloops - March 8
West Vancouver - March 8
Saltair - March 8
Cobble Hill - March 15
East Vancouver - March 15
Victoria - March 15
Duncan - March 23
Campbell River - March 22
Sooke - March 29
BC Bee City Webinar, March 6, 2025
The NBSBC held a lunchtime Zoom session to allow participants to learn more about the Bee City Canada program, see examples from other Canadian Bee Cities, and ask questions the Bee City application process.
Native Bee Study Group, fourth Wednesday of the month, 7 pm, on Zoom
Our enthusiastic online study group held its regular meetings in January, February and March from 7-8:30 pm via Zoom, hosted by Bonnie Zand. Open to all levels of bee knowledge, the group gathered to share insights, information and observations around different monthly themes. The next Native Bee Study Group happens on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 - RSVP here!
BC Bee Atlas Webinar, Thursday, March 27, 2025
In this online information session, Bonnie Zand, the BC instructor for the Master Melittologist Program, introduced the BC Bee Atlas, how training through the Master Melittologist Program works, and the importance of understanding bee populations and their floral hosts in order to protect Canada's bees and their unique ecosystems. If you missed this session, you can watch a video of a previous webinar about the BC Bee Atlas on YouTube, and learn more about the BC Bee Atlas on our website.
Plant-Based Foodie: Bee-Inspired Cuisine
Calling all foodies! Native bees rely on plants for their plant-based diets. This column is dedicated to vegan recipes, though you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy them! We invite all readers to associate native bees with good food.
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Recipe shared by Sky Jarvis
Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
2 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, shredded coconut, shredded carrots, chopped walnuts/pecans, and raisins/cranberries.
Combine wet ingredients: Add the maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of salt into a bowl - mix to combine then add into dry ingredients bowl. Mix everything well until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is sticky.
Form the energy balls: Using your hands, roll the mixture into small balls (about 1-inch in diameter). If the mixture feels too sticky, you can refrigerate it for about 15 minutes before rolling. **Optional decoration: For an Easter touch, you can roll the energy balls in some extra shredded coconut or colored sprinkles to make them more festive.
Refrigerate: Place the energy balls on a tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to help them set.
Serve and enjoy: Once set, your vegan carrot cake energy balls are ready to enjoy!
These energy balls are packed with natural sweetness and nutrients and will be a hit at your next gathering!
Do you have a vegan recipe to share? It can be anything (snack, main, drink, dessert) and it doesn't have to be fancy. Send it to us via email with the subject heading, “Newsletter: Plant-based Foodie.”
Connect with us on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BCNativeBees/
Instagram: @bcnativebees
Interested in getting more involved with the society?
Contact us at: bcnativebees@gmail.com
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