I live in a residential area in the Puget Sound lowlands, near the north end of Lake Washington, Washington, USA (USDA Zone 8b). Within an hour's drive, you'll find abundant natural areas, including lowland forests, ocean beaches, and mountains.
In my immediate neighborhood, there's always something blooming—whether it's the middle of winter or the height of a summer drought. Observing bees and flowers offers captivating, year-round entertainment.
Explore the fascinating world of plants and bees in the Pacific Northwest by visiting the links below!
Site Map
Main site (last update 2/14/25)
Seasonal lists: Best, winter, SpringI, SpringII, SummerI, SumerII, Fall, All (seasonal lists combined)
Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus)
California bumble bee (Bombus californicus) aka Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus sbsp. californicus)
Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)
Cuckoo bumble bees (Bombus insularis and Bombus flavidus)
Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus)
Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis)
Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius)
Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis)
Yellow faced group; yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) and obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus)
Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)
External links
All plant list (Google spread sheet download)
Honey bees foraging on various flowers (Google Photo Albums): January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November-December
Additional bumble bee photos (Google Photo Albums)
Pollen microscopy library (Google Photo Albums): go to Flower pollen library for Pacific Northwest
My old website (Last update 1/21/24)