Discover Melittoflora: An Unmatched Map of Bees and Blooms

If you've ever wondered which bees visit which flowers in Oregon, now there's a beautifully powerful way to find out. Meet Melittoflora (meh‑lit‑toe‑flaw‑ruh), a data-rich, interactive mapping interface developed through Oregon State University’s Oregon Bee Atlas project.

What Makes Melittoflora So Valuable?

• It’s the largest bee–plant interactive network in the world, visualizing over 106,000 documented records of interactions between native bees and flowering plants.

• The data is gathered by trained Master Melittologists—citizen scientists trained in collecting and curating bee specimens and their associated floral hosts.

• The specimens are identified by taxonomists and archived in OSU’s Arthropod Collection, forming a museum-quality, long-term biodiversity record.

• Melittoflora’s interface allows users to visualize complex networks of bee–plant relationships, explore species occurrence records, and generate custom outputs—empowering scientists, land managers, and garden enthusiasts alike.

• It’s designed to benefit a wide variety of users—from researchers to gardeners to policymakers—supporting pollinator conservation and habitat planning.

What’s Coming (and Why It Matters)

While Washington state records aren’t yet included, this is expected to change in the coming year—meaning the map will become an even richer, regional conservation tool. For now, it offers a deep look into Oregon’s bee–plant webs and sets a powerful precedent for cross-border collaboration.

How to Use the Melittoflora Map

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Access the Interface
   Visit the visualization tool on a desktop browser—the layout is optimized for larger screens.

2. Choose Your View

   • Bipartite View: Highlights relationships between bees and plants—showing who visits whom.

   • Matrix View: Displays a grid of interactions—great for spotting patterns or highly connected species.

3. Apply Filters
   Use filtering tools (likely by bee species, plant, or geographic region) to narrow your view to specific interests—like “bumblebees in Willamette Valley” or “Oregon grape visitors.”

4. Interpret the Network
   Large nodes represent species with many interactions—they’re major pollinators or widely visited plants. Connections (lines) show visitation relationships; denser networks hint at richer ecological webs.

5. Download or Share Your Insights
   Melittoflora lets you export data or visual snapshots if you're planning presentations, restoration projects, or educational materials.

Why You Should Check It Out

• Gardeners & Urban Planners: Identify native plants most beneficial to local bees and design pollinator-rich landscapes.

• Conservationists & Land Managers: Make data-driven decisions to prioritize restoration where certain bees or flower resources are scarce.

• Community Scientists & Educators: Use the tool as a teaching or discovery platform to engage people with tangible evidence of ecological relationships.

In a world where pollinator decline is a pressing concern, Melittoflora brings clarity...and hope. It’s a vibrant testament to community science, rigorous curation, and effective public outreach—all in one interactive map. While Washington’s data isn’t onboard yet, the foundations are being built—stay tuned for regional expansion, and in the meantime, explore the Oregon data—you’ll be amazed at what’s buzzing beneath the surface.