2024 Bee School
Registration is now open.
As part of our efforts to build taxonomic expertise in surveying Oregon's native bee population, the Master Melittologist Program is offering intermediate (bumble bee to species and other bees to genus) and advanced (species keys) five-day native bee survey and identification course held each year at Oregon State University in Corvallis.
You do not have to be a member of the Master Melittologist to participate in this course, although the focus is on bees found in the Pacific Northwest region. Our goal is to train people in bee taxonomy, who can then be leaders in their region through teaching others.
Prerequisites:
For both sessions, we are looking for people committed for the long term who have a passion for teaching others and sharing the knowledge they have gained from the course. We do not recommend this course for absolute beginners. Hone your first-year skills at one of our Microscope Trainings or open mic sessions with the goal of attending in 2025. If you have attended Bee School in the past, we encourage you to be bold and register for the Advanced session!
Location:
Each session meets all day in the microscope lab on the OSU campus in Corvallis, OR. Basic dorm lodging is available on campus or from many available hotels in Corvallis.
Pricing (per session):
- Master Melittologist student or active member registration: $450
- Regular registration: $1500
Dates:
August 12th - 16th, 2024: Intermediate course
The session is designed for people with limited prior experience, and is a prerequisite for the advanced course. We will be identifying specimens to genus, and typically do not recommend the course for Master Melittologists until they have completed their lab training.
August 19th - 23rd, 2024: Advanced course
The session covers advanced topics suited to someone who has a few years of experience with identifying bees to the genus level. We will cover resources to identify specimens to species.
