The first phase of the MN Bee Atlas ran from 2016 - 2020, focusing on establishing baseline information about bee species living in the state. In the bee blocks part of this project, we learned about bees and wasps that make nests above ground in tunnels in dead wood or hollow plant stems. With the participation of several hundred volunteers all across the state, we mapped where different species live and what habitats they can be found in, and tracked the timing of their nesting activity. 

The second phase of the Minnesota Wood-Nesting Bee Atlas was a three year participatory science project focused on learning about the plants that leafcutter, mason and resin bees use in their nest construction. This phase of the project started in 2021 and finished in June 2024. 

The third phase of the Minnesota Wood-Nesting Bee Atlas is a three year participatory science project focused on developing new low-impact methods for studying wood-nesting bees and their nesting habitat. This phase of the project started in July 2025 and will finish in June 2028.