For many years, research on Alaska’s native bees was limited. Now, there is a growing effort to learn more about these important pollinators.

On a pleasant July day near Fairbanks, a volunteer from the Alaska Bee Atlas participates in bee collection. The volunteer uses a net to capture a bumblebee from a blooming fireweed patch. This simple act is part of a larger project involving the collection of thousands of bee specimens each summer throughout Alaska.

This initiative illustrates the collaborative efforts of Alaskans aiming to study and understand the bees that play a critical role in pollinating the northern ecosystem.