University of Washington identifies 8 new bee species in Washington

The Brief

  • Researchers have identified eight bee species never before recorded in Washington state.
  • The discoveries were made in Chelan County during a University of Washington study on climate and wildfire impacts on pollinators.
  • Scientists say documenting new species is critical for conservation, as it’s difficult to protect bees that haven’t been identified.

SEATTLE University of Washington researchers have identified eight bee species never before recorded in Washington state while studying pollinators in Chelan County.

The backstory:

Autumn Maust, a UW research scientist, discovered the species while examining how climate change and wildfires affect native bee populations.

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