We've met master recyclers and master gardeners, but now it's time to talk about master melittologists. It took us a few days to learn the pronunciation, too. A melittologist is an entomologist--an insect expert--with a concentration on bees. And Oregon State University's Extension Service runs a along with its many other offerings.
The MMP trains citizen scientists to locate and collect and curate speciments of native bees in the region. Scientists are doing more to understand native bees and where the live, and the addition of the citizen scientists gives a major boost to the work.
We get further details from OSU's Andony Melathopoulos, Pollinator Health Extension Specialist, Pollinator Ecology/Ecotoxicology. Stand by for a conversation with many syllables, coming down to a single focus: bees.