The Round Up is back
In the early days of the Oregon Bee Atlas we had a bi-weekly electronic newsletter to connect members together. It was called the Round Up. Inspired by the amazing work of the Portland team’s monthly newsletter, we are exhuming the Round Up from its untimely death, and bringing it back to life. We hope to publish these regularly on the first and third Mondays of the month (this month being a little weird, with today’s publication being the second week). This online version will also enable you to search back through the archives for items from past weeks. Thanks to our volunteer editor, Ellen Silva. If you have any feedback or submission for Field Notes or if you want to post notes for your regional team contact Ellen Silva (e.silva@comcast.net). Please try and get your submissions in the Monday before publication.
In this issue
In memory of Master Melittologist Marty Stein
We are very sad to report the passing of one of our most generous and meticulous members, Marty Stein on May 3rd. Marty was a careful chronicler of our coastal bees. Before joining the program, he was the Forest Botanist with Siuslaw National Forest in Waldport, Oregon. He worked for almost two decades as a botanist on national forests in Oregon and Washington, and before that, 5 years as a forester, agro-forester, and forestry technician. A particular thanks to Newport member Rebecca Cheek, who kept Marty connected to the Atlas even as he grew ill. If you have memories to share about Marty, please bring them to the next Catch a Buzz or post them here.
Field Notes
Deschutes River Recreation Area Camp out
The Deschutes River Recreation Area camp out (April 22-24) was just great — beautiful surroundings, laughs with friends, and a whole lot of bee collecting, both along the Deschutes River and at Columbia Land Trust sites near Rowena.
Among the bees collected were several Eucera amsinkiae, specialists on fiddleneck (genus, in case you hadn’t guessed, Amsinkiae!). This bee is a first for the OBA! Fiddleneck is a gorgeous flower; who wouldn’t specialize on it?
Other bees seen and collected included Bombus queens and this showy Melecta, among others. (In order below: B. nevadensis, B. vosnesenskii, Melecta sp.)
And if bees and beautiful landscapes weren’t enough, attendees were treated to the wisdom of our guest melittologist, Jim Cane of the USDA. It will take much more than a weekend to learn all that Dr. Cane has to teach, so we hope he will visit us again.
You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen a Habropoda mating ball.
Rebecca Cheek knew just where to find these fascinating bees on the coast south of Florence, OR. For a short video of the ball in action, click HERE.
LInda Zahl in the camas fields near her home in St. Helen’s.
OBA announcements
Catch a Buzz
Catch a Buzz is this Wednesday (May 11th, different Wednesday than usual) at 7pm. To join, go to https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/97230252365?pwd=TURyTXNMZ1M5SHl2TFQvajBxemtRdz09 | Password: bees
NEW Advisory Committee Page
We had some excellent feedback from the 2022 Conference from member Maarten Van Otterloo about having more transparency on the Advisory Committee. To this end we created a new page in Canvas that includes: 1) names and contact information on members of the Advisory Committee, 2) an email address to bring an initiative or feedback forward to all the Advisory Committee members, 3) a link to our current Strategic Plan from 2021.
Surveying for Franklin’s Bumble Bee
The search for Franklin’s bumble bee continues. This year the event, coordinated by USFW, will be held July 11 – 15 on Mt. Ashland. In addition to surveying for Franklin’s bumble bee and Western bumble bees, lots of networking with PNW bee organizations and experts will take place. Check the email from Jen Larsen (4/20/2022) for further details on how to join in.
OBA member conference recordings posted on Canvas
Check out two of the talks from the annual conference — Tools of the Trade and Atlas Updates.
Calendar
Lots going on this month include a Portland Metro collection event at Oxbow on May 13 and field training at O’Loughlin Farms on May 21. There is also a great educational event in Portland Community College (Rock Creek) on Saturday May 14 for the whole family. Remember, if you are planning a collection outing, post it to Canvas to let others know.
Team news
PDX
PDX OBA’ers, don’t forget that we have a fun lunchtime meet and greet coming up on May 15th. Info to come via email.
Scholls Valley Native Nursery, one of our favorite PDX-area collecting sites, has been doing research on how native groundcovers can benefit nursery plant production and native bees. Check it out HERE.
Perennial Cryptantha (Genus Oreocarya) - Pam Hayes
What’s blooming
Combing through iNaturalist over the last week, our volunteers have come across some great plant on the hit list. You should be able to revisit these sites. Remember to check the permit requirements for these sites in Canvas.
Tomcat Clover (Trifolium willdenovii) - Judi Maxwell - Grants Pass (May 4)
Shortspur Seablush (Plectritis congesta) - Carol Yamata - Oregon City (May 4)
Perennial Cryptanthas (Genus Oreocarya) - Pam Hayes - Wheeler County (May 1)
Please remember to include an image with all your submissions and only include images of the plants you collect on, not bees.
miscellany (not to be missed)
How to draw a generic female Andrena
Photos, drawings and text by Marek Stanton. Edited by Ellen Silva
Click here
Bumble bee identification made simpl(er)
Our taxonomist, Lincoln Best, recently gave a national webinar on how to identify bumble bees. The webinar is amazing and feature’s the program’s new microscope, that enables Linc to record what he sees under the microscope (a tool we are excited to incorporate into our education in the future). Check it out.