Pollinator Resources
Helpful information and resources for supporting bees in the Willamette Valley
Creating Pollinator Habitat
Plant for Continuous Bloom
The single most important thing you can do for bees is provide flowers from early spring through late fall. Different bee species are active at different times, and they all need nectar and pollen throughout their flight season.
- Early Spring: Willows, Oregon grape, camas, early fruit trees
- Late Spring: Ceanothus, lupines, caneberries, clover
- Summer: Sunflowers, asters, goldenrod, lavender, bee balm
- Fall: Late-blooming asters, sedum, goldenrod
Provide Nesting Habitat
About 70% of native bees nest in the ground, while the rest use existing cavities in wood, stems, or other materials.
- Ground nesters: Leave patches of bare, undisturbed soil in sunny spots. Avoid mulch and heavy tilling in these areas.
- Cavity nesters: Leave dead wood standing when safe to do so. Don't clear away all the dead stems in fall—many bees nest in pithy stems like blackberry canes.
- Nest boxes: Mason bee houses can support cavity-nesting bees, but they require proper maintenance to prevent disease and parasites.
Avoid Pesticides
Many common pesticides—even some labeled "organic"—are toxic to bees. If you must use pesticides:
- Never spray blooming plants
- Apply in evening when bees are less active
- Choose the least toxic option that will work
- Consider whether treatment is truly necessary
Local Organizations & Resources
Lane County Beekeepers Association
Local beekeeping organization offering education, support, and a list of beekeepers who can remove established honey bee hives from structures.
Visit LCBA websiteXerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Excellent resources on native bee conservation, habitat creation, and pollinator-friendly farming practices. Based in Portland, Oregon.
Visit Xerces SocietyOregon State University Extension
Research-based information on pollinators, gardening, and sustainable landscaping for Oregon conditions.
Visit OSU ExtensionHoney Bee Resources
~ Books and Publications ~
This is a great introduction to beekeeping book. Whether you are just getting started or want a book that covers all of the basics, this is the book to read.
A more advanced beekeeping book. This is the book recommended for the Oregon State Master Beekeeping program.
Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping
For a truly deep dive into honey bees, this is the book that covers it all.
~ Podcasts ~
BeeKeeping Today has a four-part series on how to get started with bees beginning at Season 2 episode 16.
~ Honey Bee Health ~
Mushroom Extracts for Honey bees
This paper published by Washington State University describes how they were able to dramatically lower viral loads in honey bee colonies using a 1% mushroom extract fed to their bees in a sugar water solution.
Pollinator Resources
~ Books and Publications ~
Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest
A beautiful and thorough book on the Butterflies in our region. This is absolutely a must have for anyone into native pollinators. You can purchase it on Caitlin's website.
The Bees of the Willamette Valley
An excellent resource for our region. The photos are stunning and the descriptions provide a great way to begin identifying our native species. It can be downloaded here.
This is a very thorough book on bumblebees. While it's not Oregon specific, it goes into a lot of detail on their lifecycle and has excellent resources for identifying each species.
Planting for Pollinators
~ Books and Publications ~
Not Oregon specific, but a great starter guide and the native range of each plant is shown as a map.
While not specific to planting for bees, this is my favorite Permaculture book and covers principles that can and should be applied to any gardening adventure.
Native Plants for Willamette Valley yards
An excellent resource for our local area. The plants are arranged by size, from large trees to small shade friendly ground cover. It's a free publication that can be downloaded here.
iNaturalist
A free app and website where you can photograph bees (or any organism) and receive identification help from experts and the community. Great for learning what species are in your area.
Visit iNaturalistBumble Bee Watch
Citizen science project focused specifically on tracking bumblebee populations across North America. Submit photos and help monitor these important pollinators.
Visit Bumble Bee WatchRecommended Plants for Pollinators
These plants are well-suited to Willamette Valley conditions and provide excellent forage for a variety of bee species:
Native Plants
- Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
- Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)
- Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor)
- Camas (Camassia quamash)
- Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
- Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum)
- Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Garden Plants
- Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
- Catmint (Nepeta spp.)
- Salvia (Salvia spp.)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)
- Bee balm (Monarda spp.)
- Clover (Trifolium spp.)