State parks are buzzing with native pollinators

This spring we got some exciting news: five new or rare bee species had been found in three of our parks. Two bees never seen before in Washington, were discovered at Sun Lakes – Dry Falls and three bees that hadn’t been seen in 60 to 144 years were collected at Steamboat Rock, Steptoe Butte and Mount Spokane. But finding any insect, much less a new or rare one, in a 168 to 12,444-acre park is like finding a proverbial needle in a haystack. So, how were these bees discovered?

A person walking in a field. — WaBA volunteers spent time at Gingko Petrified Forest in 2025. Courtesy of Washington State Department of Agriculture.

What’s the buzz?

A partnership between State Parks and the Washington Department of Agriculture, namely its Washington Bee Atlas group, was essential to these discoveries.

Though WaBA started collecting bees in 2023, State Parks got involved the next year, when we granted the group a scientific research permit for collection. In 2025, we established a Memorandum of Understanding with WaBA to up the number of surveys at parks across the state.

People walking in a field with a butte in the background. — All in a day's volunteer work at Ginkgo. Courtesy of WSDA.

Putting the “work” in worker bee

WaBA volunteers visit our parks, sometimes for fun group campouts or picnics, where they collect bees, then pin and label the specimens. At the end of each season, they submit their bees to WSDA’s Pollinator Program for identification.

As State Parks Natural Resources Stewardship Planner Stella Waxwing explains, bees must be collected because most cannot be identified from photos alone; they have to be examined under a microscope.

The identification process can take months to years, depending on how rare the bee is and how difficult it is to identify. Stella noted that dissection or DNA testing is sometimes needed to figure out the species.

a white flower with a yellow center and pink hues — Native plants and flowers like this Tweedy's Lewisia photographed near Squilchuck State Park are popular with native pollinators. By Stella Waxwing.

Why our parks are the bees' knees

State Parks supports these efforts, knowing that we preserve native ecosystems, which in turn provide critical habitat for native bees and pollinators.

The work by WaBA offers data needed to understand which native bees are using parks and which shrubs and flowers support those bees.

WaBA and other citizen science groups (like the Washington Native Bee Society) can give data on bee species, nesting habitats and plant hosts. Eventually, that data may help park staff choose native plantings that attract native pollinators.

To date, State Parks has opened nearly 70 parks to Bee Atlas surveys – and that number is growing.

A flower in a field with a rock in the background — At least one new bee was found at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls. By Stella Waxwing.

Busy bees

In the last year, WaBA has held events at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls, Steamboat Rock, Deception Pass, Potholes, Gingko Petrified Forest and Wanapum Recreation Area and Birch Bay.

The groups camped at Sun Lakes – Dry Falls, Steamboat Rock and Potholes and had a picnic at Deception Pass.

Image of a bee with black and yellow stripes with information about that bee — A bee never before seen in this state was discovered at Sun Lakes last year. Courtesy of WSDA.

New bees in our bonnet

Between these events and individual efforts, WaBA has collected 1,092 bees and identified 95 bee species in state parks.

Caleb Lankford, WSDA’s volunteer coordinator, encouraged citizen scientists and would-be volunteers to learn more and find opportunities to collect bees and socialize with other bee fans.

A graphic of a yellow and black striped bee with a big head and information about the bee. — This fuzzy bee, collected in 2025, was last seen before that in 1882. Courtesy of WSDA.

Why it’s all of our beeswax

Understanding native bee species isn’t just nerd stuff. Over time, the data will help agencies like WSDA get a better handle on the region’s food security.

Reliance on honeybees alone puts food supplies in jeopardy, as honeybees face big challenges like population decline. Honeybees can also be finicky about what they pollinate. They won’t touch legumes, for example – but native bees are happy to step in and pollinate them.

A graphic of a long, thin-bodied black bee with a big head and information about the bee — This bee, collected at Mount Spokane, was last seen more than 90 years ago. Courtesy of WSDA.

Knowing which bees like which plants in which areas allows WSDA to recommend seed mixes and plant lists to the ag industry, hobby farmers, backyard gardeners and everyone working to strengthen our crops and resilience. We all benefit when native bees are happy and hardy!

For more information on volunteering for WaBA, please check out this site and apply here.

Who knows? Maybe you'll find a new-to-Washington bee, or a bee not seen in a century during your visit to one of our parks!