I’ve mentioned Jane and Pat before. They are at times referred to as our butterfly ladies for all their efforts in saving and tracking the beautiful monarchs and all the butterfly gardens they have certified. They have gently pushed our members to plant native species, prodded us to compost, and encouraged us to recycle those used coffee grounds into our soil. They walk the talk, leading by their examples in how they live and how they garden – and they are always a source of knowledge and inspiration for me.
I had just finished reading our club’s monthly newsletter. Inside its pages was a message from Jane and Pat telling us about a program initiated at the University of Illinois engaging citizen scientists (that would be you and me) in the gathering of information about honeybees and bumblebees. (For this posting, I will refer to both as bees)
As many of you are aware, the bee population is in rather precarious state right now. Hives are suddenly being abandoned and bee populations have been diminishing at increasingly alarming numbers, a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder, where all of the worker bees suddenly disappear. Gone. gone.
While this may seem like a problem only beekeepers face, it is, in reality, a problem for all of us. Hives being threatened threatens our food supply. Without these colonies of pollinators, mainly the workers bees, our vegetable crops and fruit trees are at grave risk of being destroyed.
Scientists have been attune to this and are actively seeking answers, but, they can’t do it alone. That’s where we come in; citizen scientists with the simple task of monitoring bees. All it involves is a camera, the internet, and a little initiative to become a BeeSpotter.
If you’ve been visiting the Cutoff for even a few posts, you know that I tote my camera around most places I go, especially if I’m out in nature. The day that I captured this lone bee in the pictures, I was merely taking one of my daily walks around the garden.
There I was, filled with glee as I spotted the first of the tree peonies opening, and there, in the very first blossom, was a very busy bee who was actively collecting pollen. He was so busy that didn’t pay me any mind, affording me the opportunity to get quite a few pictures, which I promptly downloaded and buzzed with delight when I saw I had quite a few good, clear shots.
The BeeSpotter link noted in the newsletter was quickly opened, a few clicks of the keyboard and I was logged in. Within five minutes I became a BeeSpotter by simply providing a few pictures, some basic information about where I saw the bee, time of day, date, and a click to send it. A few days later, I received an email from an expert BeeSpotter, identifying my bee, which is a Bombus impatiens (common eastern bumble bee).
BeeSpotting data is currently being collected only in Illinois. If you are an Illinois resident, or passing through Illinois, I encourage you to visit the website and consider sending in a few photos of the bees you see. If you are not an Illinois resident, I encourage you to visit the site, see what it is all about, and be aware of the bees in your area. Similar programs may soon be in your area. To all of you, I encourage you to look at other ways you can be a citizen scientist, like keeping a gardening or birding journal, keeping a photo journal of what you are seeing, or writing down simple observations of what is going on in nature around you.
Oh, if I’m not posting, I’m likely out Bee-ing a BeeSpotter!
Lifeonthecutoff's Blog 
Penny, I am enjoying reading about the various ways you have discovered of contributing to your community. Bee spotting sounds fun, and I love the picture of that bumble bee burrowing deep into the tree peony. And you have his name: Bombus impatiens sounds just perfect! (an impatient bomber perhaps? or an impatient bumbler?)
Now watch out that you don’t turn into a bee with all that delighted buzzing. If you start wearing yellow and black stripes you’ll know you are in trouble.
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I’m delighted to hear it, Juliet. Thank you. I’ve always enjoyed catching bees and butterflies with my camera – this is just an extension of it that will, perhaps, in a small way help the situation. I love you interpretations of his name.
Ha! If I’m so dressed, I’ve either turned into a buzzer or those fingerprints got me into trouble.
By the way, I keep meaning to tell you that Kezzie and I made those paper flowers that open up in water when I was last up to see her. It was such fun, Juliet – and it worked!
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I’m so glad you and Kezzie had fun with the paper flowers. It’s amazing how fast they open.
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Congratulations on your new bee spotter status. The Hebden Bridge community is very involved in maintaining and further developing bee colonies and I know more and more people are being encouraged to keep hives and learn about the importance of our bee populations. I was also pleased to see hives for sale as well as information about keeping bees, in a large garden centre here in Carcassonne.
I recently finished reading the Barbara Kingsolver novel “Flight Behaviour” about the monarch butterflies…and think it should be compulsory reading for the whole world ! The precarious balance of nature as we humans have more and more impact is terrifying J..
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It’s gratifying to hear about Hebden Bridge’s commitment to bee colonies, as well as Carcassonne’s. All the benefits bees provide is worth the effort – and I’ve grown to love local honey. I’ve thought about trying beekeeping here, Janice, but have concluded that it is a little more effort and investment than I’m prepared to make right now – so, I’ll work on pollinators to attract them. Your lovely gardens in Caunnes must attract bees.
I’d forgotten about “Flight Behavior” by Kingsolver. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll be on the lookout (or look for it) soon. I always enjoy reading Kingsolver and our book group has read several of her books Last summer and fall, I noticed a pronounced difference in the amount of monarchs and swallowtails in our garden. Where we usually have them fluttering about all summer, there were only one or two. In talking with other gardeners, they have observed the same thing. Okay, Janice. Now you’ve done. I must get the book.
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I’m going to be on the lookout for the Kingsolver book, too, Janice and Penny. I wasn’t familiar with title, but love the author. We live in the migratory path of the monarch as it travels from Mexico, and there is a lot of current concern about huge declines in the population. I’m sure Kingsolver discusses this more, and I’m very eager to read the book. I really do need to retire…my booklist is getting so long I’m losing hope. LOL!
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So, here we are, three gals talking about bees and Barbara’s book, one in California, one from France, and one from Illinois. I love this!
I checked our interlibrary loan system, and found that most copies, in a very large system, are not only checked out but have long waiting lists, EXCEPT for the library from which I get my library card. I went over last night and checked it out. “Flight Behavior” now sits on top of my TBR stack.
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This is wonderful, Penny. I really love this. I’ll be very interesting in following your example. I get so excited when I see bees in our garden because of just what you outlined, the concern for the declining bee population. I subscribe to a couple of other organizations dedicated to supporting the overall health and survival of the bees, and you have given me the idea that maybe I should share some of those links soon. It does take all of us to be very concerned about this issue. As always, I think of you as a leader…so thank you! I love your garden club. Do they let “out of towners” join? ox
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I’m be interested in seeing where your ideas take you, Debra. I mention bees and their decline to some who just shrug it off. I don’t think they realize how catastrophic this can become. Of course, we let “out of towners” join. I love this club and its members. I’m always learning something new or a different way to think about something old. If you have a garden club near you, you might think of joining. Even if you don’t have time to actively participate at this stage in your life, you would likely get a newsletter of some sort that you would enjoy.
Thank you, Debra. I’m really just an avid “follower”, not a leader. I’m happiest when something I say spurs someone else to follow their star, and I’ve learned so much from you.
Enjoy this weekend.
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What a fantastic idea to enlist everyone in collectign such important data, Penny! Here out hives have double troule as many hives have not survived the harsh winter. Nature can be so cruel.
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Nature can be cruel, indeed, Kate. The idea of being a citizen scientist is an old one. Our Ben Franklin is a prime example of citizens collecting data, recording nature, which, I believe, he learned from his brethren in England.
I hope new hives will flourish again soon there.
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I was a butterfly spotter one year. I may just sign in to be a Bee Spotter. We have some big ones around here this year. This is very interesting. I have actually thought about looking into starting our own bee hive. I don’t know if it would be worth the trouble.
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Good for you, Janet. Did you record sightings that were collected somewhere? Now that we have our little community garden off the ground, I’m thinking of pushing for a monarch waystation nearby. Bees are attracted to some of the same flowers and we know that monarchs are in a similar perilous situation.
Oh, do. Be a BeeSpotter. Be a Do-Bee. It might be fun to enlist the help of the older grandkids. I’ve thought of starting a hive or two here, but, I’m too lazy. With all your wildflowers, and those locust trees, , you have a perfect spot. Imagine all the honey you would have!
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Isn’t it amazing how many of these initiatives come out of the U of I?
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I would be cheating to be a BeeSpotter. My three hives keep my flowers buzzing!! 🙂
Deb
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You do your part for this earth, and our tummies, with those hives, Deb – all of which I enjoy reading about. You are a BeeSpotter of the highest degree.
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Penny, I have been enjoying your nature rambles of late. I have counted birds in my backyard – not an easy thing to do as they do move about freely – and I love the idea of bee counting. What fun you have there on the cutoff.
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Thank you, Belle. Don’t you just love the birds and all the joy they bring to a backyard? I agree, though, that counting birds is a tricky thing to do. This morning, I was busy watching wrens flitting about feeding their brood, which were nestled into a gourd birdhouse. Yes. I do have some fun here.
Hope you are enjoying all those books you have for this long weekend.
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What a wonderful initiative, Penny. The decline in the bee population is just as worrying here in Europe, not helped by the cold spring weather we’ve had in the past two years, which mean they are late in starting to build up their food stocks for the following winter. I wonder if there is a similar initiative here in the UK? Goes off to Google….
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I’m sure there are similar initiatives there in the UK, Perpetua. As you know, the implications of this decline in bees will be widespread and have an impact on what we eat.
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How great that is! I have read about the problem with the disappearing bees. I didn’t even realize there were different kids of honey bees! So I learned something today. thanks for doing this; keep us posted.
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You’re welcome, Sallie. I think that if we all become informed and do what we can, each in our small ways, we will be making an bit of an impact – at least I hope so.
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Well now you will have to share with your friends these paper flowers that open in the water secrets…..sounds interesting. Pat reminded us to be Bee-Spotter at the board meeting. I did see a big Bee in my yard and couldn’t have been happier, maybe they are coming back. More bees, more tomato’s….your flower with the Bee is Bee-dazzling! Now that I know you have no fingerprints I can’t pin too much on you. My cousin in Michigan doesn’t have any either, guess you two were working your fingers to the bone….
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It is a fun little project to do, Sharon, and I share it with you. Let’s all hope that we can encourage bees to return. What concerns me is that with all the blooms on my tree peonies, there was only this one bee. Ha! You didn’t know you were associating with a “fingerprintless” friend. Now the secret is out.
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An excellent and informative post about a subject I’ve been concerned about too. Remember how I searched for honey last year in County Clare and there were no bees?! They’ve had a warm summer so I hope the bees are back, though I know weather isn’t the only culprit, or even the main one. I have a few plants here in Elmhurst that have been filled with both bees AND little white butterflies this summer. I hope this is a good sign!
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I do remember your County Clare bee concerns, Janet, and hope that the bees have returned there and you can once again claim some honey when you return to your cottage. It is good to hear that there are bees on your plants. The bee population is picking up a bit here, finally, in August. Still, not as many as in the past. I’m so glad you commented right now, reminding me that I do have a few photos waiting to post on the Beespotter site.
Thanks, Janet. Let me know about County Clare’s bees.
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