The North American Bee Distribution Tool is an interactive portal that allows for rapid assessment of apparent bee species richness throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tool incorporates species occurrence data of six families of bees using data provided by GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility, www.gbif.org), as well as conservation status rankings provided by NatureServe (www.natureserve.org). Users can filter from a variety of options, such as temporal range, geographic location (country, state, county, FWS legacy region), NatureServe conservation status, or taxonomic classification (family, genus, species). The tool is comprised of a central map showing spatial distribution of bee species occurrence records, along with interactive figures (graphs and charts) and a species information table. Users typically interact with the tool by filtering the occurrence records by time, geographic location, taxonomy, or conservation status. The map, table, and figures update on-the-fly based on filters chosen, and the total number of occurrences and total unique taxa will always reflect the information shown on the map.
