Washington Bee Atlas Seeks Volunteers to Collect Bees Across the State

The statewide survey has already uncovered 17 new bee species records in Washington, including 3 in Clallam County.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:06am

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A highly textured, abstract painting in soft earth tones depicting an intricate web of interconnected geometric shapes and botanical spirals, representing the complex diversity of native bee species found across Washington state.The Washington Bee Atlas is uncovering a hidden world of diverse native bee species that play a vital role in the state's ecosystems.Port Angeles Today

The Washington state Department of Agriculture (WSDA) launched the Washington Bee Atlas (WABA) a few years ago to identify every bee species in the state. After two years and with the help of about 150 volunteers, the program has already collected 30 new or rare bee species, including 17 that are new state records, 3 of which were found in Clallam County. The survey is the first statewide effort to sample bees since the early 1900s, and the WSDA is seeking more volunteers to help with the monumental task of surveying the entire state throughout the season.

Why it matters

The Washington Bee Atlas is a critical effort to better understand the diversity of native bee species in the state, which is important for pollinator conservation and ecosystem health. The survey is uncovering many new and rare bee species that have never been documented in Washington before, providing valuable data to scientists and policymakers.

The details

The Washington Bee Atlas is a collaboration between the WSDA, Oregon State University, and Washington State University. Volunteers undergo training through OSU's Master Melittologist Program to learn how to capture, preserve, and pin museum-quality bee specimens, as well as document the host plants they are found on. The program is finding many new bee species because most areas of the state have been significantly under-sampled since the early 1900s.

  • The Washington Bee Atlas began a few years ago.
  • The program wrapped up its second full year in 2026.

The players

Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)

The state agency that launched the Washington Bee Atlas survey to identify every bee species in Washington.

Washington Bee Atlas (WABA)

The statewide survey program to catalog all bee species in Washington, a collaboration between the WSDA, Oregon State University, and Washington State University.

Karla Salp

A Communications Consultant for the Washington State Department of Agriculture who is a volunteer bee collector for the WABA program.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, one of the surprising things is just where you find bees, and they're, basically, everywhere. So, we're going to all kinds of places. We have a lot of access to a lot of public lands, like Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, DNR, Even Clallam County Parks has given us permission to collect on those properties. Here in Clallam County, I mean, I've collected everywhere from, like, Hurricane Ridge down to, you know, Dungeness River area, and everything in-between.”

— Karla Salp, Communications Consultant, Washington State Department of Agriculture

“It's really a monumental task that we're taking on here, which is to try and survey the entire state, over the entire season. So, it's going to take a lot of people stepping up to do this. Now is a great time, if people are interested, to join before things get, you know, really hot in the season. There are bees already flying, so it's a good time to start the training. And you only have to complete the first three modules before you can do that field training, and then get out and start collecting. So, you don't have to complete the whole thing online before you're able to collect bees.”

— Karla Salp, Communications Consultant, Washington State Department of Agriculture

What’s next

Volunteers interested in joining the Washington Bee Atlas can sign up for the online training program through Oregon State University's Master Melittologist Program. The WSDA is also seeking permission from state, county, and city landowners to allow volunteers to survey for native bees on their properties.

The takeaway

The Washington Bee Atlas is a groundbreaking effort to comprehensively catalog the diverse bee species found across the state, which will provide critical data to support pollinator conservation efforts. With the help of dedicated volunteers, the program is uncovering many new and rare bee species that have never been documented in Washington before.