Thanks to those of you who attended our January 24th Nature Night, The Remarkable Native Bees of Central Oregon. It was an engaging and informative look at the weird and unique bees of Central Oregon. We hope you found some ways to get more involved with bee conservation, too! If you missed the presentation or would like to see parts of it again, you can watch a recording of his presentation below.

Andony provided an incredible amount of information during his Nature Night presentation. Check out some links related to his talk and a few resources that were mentioned during his presentation.

Books and resources mentioned:

• Flora of Oregon, Volume 2 book
• Common Bees of Western North America book
• OSU Master Melittologist program
• Andony's PolliNation podcast

Central Oregon recommended plants to grow:

• Rabbitbrush: Yellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) and rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) attract numerous bees, including some specialists, and have resins that are used in the construction of some bees' nests.
• Phacelia: Linearleaf phacelia (Phacelia linearis) and silverleaf phacelia (Phacelia hastata) are great options.
• Penstemon: There's an incredible variety of penstemon and beardtongue in Central Oregon.
• Thistle: Central Oregon does have a few native thistles! Examples include wavyleaf thistle (Cirsium undulatum) and elk thistle (Cirsium scariosum).
• Legumes: This includes types of lupine, vetch, and pea. Central Oregon has lots of varieties, like large-leaved lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) and American vetch (Vicia americana).
• Clover: Blue Mountain prairie-clover (Dalea ornata) is a delicate flower that grows in dry, rocky, or sandy soil.
• Sage: Purple sage (Salvia dorrii) is a native sage with blue/purple/rose flowers.

How to get involved:

• Learn more about the Oregon Bee Atlas
• Get free showy milkweed seeds from the Land Trust
• Purchase an Oregon pollinator license plate
• Get involved with the OSU Master Gardener program
• Find out about Pollinator Pathway Bend
• Participate in the Great Oregon Squash Bee Hunt!

Andony Melathopoulos is an Associate Professor in Pollinator Health Extension in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University, which was the first such position in the US. He chairs the statewide bee protection initiative—the Oregon Bee Project, is the Extension Educator for the Master Melittologist program, and hosts a weekly podcast called PolliNation.

Learn more:

• Sign up to receive free showy milkweed seeds for your Central Oregon garden!
• Buzzing about Bees
• Pollinator Plants to Grow