Species ID Skills Virtual Symposium

Species identification skills are essential for taxonomists, museum collection managers, biological recorders, conservationists and ecologists. The ability to accurately determine plants, animals and fungi to species level ranges from relatively easy for some groups, to highly technical and specialised in others.

The Species ID Skills Virtual Symposium took place on 20 June 2024 and brought together conservationists, environmental educators, biological recording schemes and more to discuss the challenges and opportunities relating to developing species ID skills in both professional and non-professional audiences. We explored how training, ID guides, assessments and emerging technologies can be used to develop these skills in both professional and non-professional audiences.

The event featured four presentations:

  1. What is it? Developing Biodiversity identification Resources with Dr Rebecca Farley-Brown (Field Studies Council)
  2. BioLinks: Developing Structured ID Training Pathways for Invertebrate Groups with Keiron Derek Brown (Biological Recording Company)
  3. Image Recognition and AI for Species Identification with Alba Gomez Segura (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)
  4. The Field Identification Skills Certificate: Assessing Botanical ID Skills with Dr Chantal Helm (Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland)

What is it? Developing Biodiversity identification Resources

Dr Rebecca Farley-Brown (Field Studies Council)

A lack of suitable resources hampers identification. A good guide needs to be suitable for the user’s level of experience as well as accurate and easy to use. Over 40 years ago the AIDGAP (Aids to Difficult Groups of Animals and Plants) project started to develop ‘user tested’ keys, this since has grown into a range of over 175 identification resources.

Check out the full blog here

BioLinks: Developing Structured ID Training Pathways for Invertebrate Groups

Keiron Derek Brown (Biological Recording Company)

The FSC BioLinks project aimed to address the shortage of biological recorders for under-recorded and difficult-to-identify invertebrate groups through a substantial training programme based on structured ID training pathways for each focus species group. This presentation will focus on the classroom, field and lab-based training courses delivered through BioLinks, and discuss the challenges and successes demonstrated by BioLinks in relation to developing species ID skills in the biological recording community.

Check out the full blog here

Image Recognition and AI for Species Identification

Alba Gomez Segura (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)

This presentation will explore how image recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize the identification of insect species. By leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms and high-resolution imaging technology, UK CEH aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of monitoring insect populations. Alba will discuss the development and application of the Automated Moth Identification (AMI) system, which exemplifies these technologies in action. Additionally, she will highlight the role of citizen science in this initiative, enabling broader participation and data collection. This approach not only provides critical data for addressing the biodiversity crisis but also bridges the gap between technological innovation and ecological research.

Check out the full blog here

The Field Identification Skills Certificate: Assessing Botanical ID Skills

Dr Chantal Helm (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland)

The Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) is a test that assesses your botanical proficiency on a scale from 1 (beginner) to 5 (professional), with a level 6 awarded in exceptional cases. Originally developed by Sarah Whild and Sue Dancey, the BSBI’s FISC Development Working Group (including a number of experienced FISC Assessors) now supports and oversees the running of FISCs.

The FISC assesses your real-life botanical skills and is gaining popularity and becoming an industry standard, with some consultancies sending their staff annually to encourage skill development. This talk will discuss how the assessments are improving the quality of professional botanical skills, especially in light of recent changes to legislation and the introduction of BNG, as well as their impact on the “amateur” botanical community.

Check out the full blog here

More for environmental professionals

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The Noble Jewel-wasp: The Range Expansion of a Brood Parasite

The Noble Jewel-wasp (Hedychrum nobile) is a recent colonist to Great Britain, recorded for the first time in 1998. This brood parasite has experienced a rapid range expansion throughout England over the past 20 years, following the distribution of its host. This talk will explore how climate change, habitat availability and parasite-host relationships might influence the range expansion of this species and discuss the fascinating ecology and morphology of one of Britain’s most beautiful insects.

Aaron Bhambra is a PhD student in the Geography, Earth and Environmental Science department at the University of Birmingham. His specialism is with flower-visiting insects, primarily solitary bees and wasps. His current research investigates the impacts of habitat fragmentation on heathland pollinator assemblages.

Q&A with Aaron Bhambra

  1. How big are Noble Jewel-wasps?
    When measuring wasps we measure from the front of the head to the tip of the abdomen. The wings, legs and antennae are not included in this measurement. Females are larger than the males, and are between 6 mm and 12 mm. Size can also vary by region, with specimens being recorded as larger in London.
  2. How long do Noble Jewel-wasps live?
    As Hymenoptera, they metamorphosise and have egg, larvae, pupae and adult life stages. They have an annual life cycle. The larvae will live for just one season and they are active as adults between July and September in Britain.
  3. What do Noble Jewel-wasps feed on?
    As a larvae they will feed on a dead weevil. The adults don’t feed in the same way, and they nectar on sugars that they get from plants such as tansy and wildflowers.
  4. Does the Noble Jewel-wasp have any predators?
    In continental Europe they will have kleptoparasites that feed on them (such as flies or other wasps). We’re not aware of any such parasites coming over to Britain yet, though we would expect to see this as the species becomes more established here – there’s always a lag between the parasite arriving and the host.
  5. Are brownfield sites of use to this species?
    I love brownfield sites! It’s where I’ve done most of my biological recording. Brownfield sites often have a mosaic habitat including bare earth and disturbed soils, providing lost of opportunities for various plants and insects. They are a fantastic habitat for bees and wasps. The sandy gravel areas that you get in these sites can act as a haven for heathland specialists.
  6. Does this species pose a threat to any of our native species?
    The truth is that it is too soon to tell. I’ve purposefully not drawn parallels with invasive species, such as the Harlequin Ladybird, as this is not an introduction – it is a natural colonisation where the species has flew across the English Channel due to geographic range expansion. We can expect more of these type of colonisation as our climate changes and gets warmer, with more species making the journey over from continental Europe. It may be that this species has colonised previously and we just aren’t aware as we’ve only  been recording insects for a relatively very short time. One thing that is certain, is that it will impact the population of the host as these insects will be attacked by this parasite – which in turn may actually be good for the weevils!
  7. What are the future research goals concerning this species?
    There are opportunities to study the autecology of this species , looking more closely at the relationship it has with host species in the genus Cerceris and whether this is influenced by any other environmental factors, such as temperature and local ecology.

Literature References

Bhambra (2023) The range expansion of the Noble Jewel Wasp, Hedychrum nobile (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), a recent colonist to Great Britain. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History, 36, pp. 161-177.

The full article is available below. Become a British Entomological; & Entomological Natural History Society to receive future editions of the journal: https://www.benhs.org.uk/membership/

    the-range-expansion-of-the-noble-jewel-wasp-hedychrum-nobile-benhs-1Download
    1. Baldock & Hawkins (2016) Hedychrum nobile (Scopoli): A Jewel-Wasp new to Britain and distinct from Hedychrum niemelai (Linsenmaier) (Hymenoptera : Chrysididae). British Journal of Entomology and Natural History, 29 (4), pp.197-208. 
    2. Falk (2010) The bee and wasp assemblages (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of some key heathland sites in the West Midlands region: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/322119#page/114/mode/1up
    3. Falk & Lane (1999) A Survey of the Insects of Sutton Park. Coventry Museums & Galleries Ecology Unit. 
    4. Falk et al (1996) A Comparative Study of the Invertebrate Assemblages of Three Staffordshire Heathland Sites. Coventry Museums & Galleries Ecology Unit. 
    5. Kimsey & Bohart (1991) The Chrysidid Wasps of the World: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/chrysidid-wasps-of-the-world-9780198540106
    6. Linsenmaier (1959) Revision der Familie Chrysididae (Hymenoptera) mit besonderer Brücksichtigung der europäischen Spezies. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft 32: 1–232. 
    7. Paukkunen et al (2015) An illustrated key to the cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae) of the Nordic and Baltic countries, with description of a new species: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.548.6164
    8. Paukkunen et al (2014) Faunistic review of the cuckoo wasps of Fennoscandia, Denmark and the Baltic countries (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae): https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.3864.1.1

    Further Info

    entoLIVE

    entoLIVE webinars feature guest invertebrate researchers delving into their own invertebrate research. All events are free to attend and are suitable for adults of all abilities – a passion for invertebrates is all that’s required!

    entoLIVE is delivered by the Biological Recording Company in partnership with the British Entomological & Natural History Society, Royal Entomological Society and Amateur Entomologists’ Society, with support from Buglife.

    The entoLIVE programme is delivered by Biological Recording Company and receives sponsorship from the following organisations:

    More on invertebrates

    Check out upcoming events on Eventbrite

    Bees and Heatwaves: Preparing For A Warming World

    As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, it is essential to understand how pollinators respond to such extreme conditions. The Buzz Club’s Bees and Heatwaves project involves volunteers from all over the UK to help investigate whether bees, including bumblebees, honey bees, solitary bees, alter their activity patterns in response to heat events. Through the observation of their behaviour during heatwaves and the plant species they choose for foraging, the Buzz Club aim to develop effective strategies to support them in a warming world.

    Yanet Sepúlveda is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Sussex. Her research is focused on investigating the impact of climate change, particularly heatwaves, on crucial pollinators such as bumblebees.

    Issy Sexton is a Research Assistant at the University of Sussex, specialising in pollinator-focused citizen science. She also has a background in community engagement and environmental policy.

    Q&A with Yanet Sepúlveda and Isobel Sexton

    1. Are you able to use data from other studies to use in your research?
      Yanet: The Bees & Heatwaves project has been designed to specifically monitor the impact of these extreme weather events on bee populations. Other projects will have different aims and survey methodologies, meaning that their data is unlikely to be directly comparable. For example, the Bee Walk surveys by Bumblebee Conservation Trust involve walking a transect, recording the bee species and temperature. Their data is useful for monitoring many things (for example, population declines), but it wouldn’t be ideal for monitoring behavioural responses to heatwaves. For example, the Bees & Heatwaves project looks at whether bees can shift their activity patterns and foraging preferences in response to elevated temperatures. Participants in this project must remain at a fixed location, monitoring the same site and carefully observing bee behaviours. Other surveys/research may go out of their way to avoid collecting data during heatwaves as they may want to avoid the impact that these events could have on their results.
      Issy: We are very happy to discuss the possibility of linking up our projects with other initiatives through collaboration so we encourage anyone interested in exploring this to get in touch by email on buzzclub@sussex.ac.uk. For example, we are currently working in partnership with London Natural History Society on an additional step to The Big Bee Hotel Experiment: https://www.thebuzzclub.uk/thebigbeehotelexperiment. We are working together to use this experiment as a trap survey for solitary bees. We also have been featured in a Nature Recovery Strategy in Denmark! 
    2. Have the impacts of heatwaves on bees been studied in controlled environments?
      Yanet: Most of the relevant greenhouse studies that I’ve read have focused on bumblebees. Control greenhouses are maintained at normal temperatures and ‘heatwave’ greenhouses are exposed to higher temperatures. The bees can forage freely within these greenhouses. The bees tend to forage less in heatwave conditions and also visit plants grown under heatwave conditions less frequently.
    3. Will your project detect the impacts of post-heatwave factors like drought?
      Yanet: This is a very interesting question and very important because we are expected to have drier summers. We can’t necessarily see how heatwaves are affecting plants in this specific experiment. However, it can tell us which plants are visited less frequently during and/or after heatwaves, which can then guide the design and focus of laboratory experiments to investigate this further (for example, if we find that borage is visited less during and/or after heatwaves, we can then open the door to studies that investigate if the production of nectar and pollen is impacted by elevated temperatures).
    4. How do heatwaves impact bees and their colonies in the nest?
      Yanet: We don’t really know yet. The nesting habits of bees are really variable, with some species nesting underground and others above ground (for example in trees or vegetation). In one of our laboratory studies, we found that workers were not able to maintain the nest at an optimal temperature during heatwaves. Species that nest underground, such as Bombus terrestris, may have sufficient protection to avoid overheating whereas other species may be more at risk if their nest is exposed to direct sunlight. I wanted to investigate this during my PhD but we agreed that finding and studying multiple nests would be too difficult.
    5. Do you have any tips for people who want to help bees deal with future heatwaves in their garden?
      Yanet: Ensure that you have varied planting within your garden so that you have a high diversity of plant species. This will make your garden more resilient. It’s important to ensure that you plant native species where possible. Bees need both nectar and pollen, and some plants are better for pollen while others are better for nectar. We also expect certain plants to be more affected by high temperatures than others. Therefore, maintaining high plant diversity is crucial for a resilient and pollinator-friendly garden.

    Literature References

    1. Garnery et al (2019) We Are Losing the “Little Things that Run the World”: https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27255/Foresight_Brief_No_011.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
    2. Sánchez-Bayo & Wyckhuys (2019) Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.01.020
    3. Wagner et al (2021) Insect decline in the Anthropocene: Death by a thousand cuts: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2023989118
    4. Soroye et al (2020) Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aax8591
    5. Sepúlveda & Goulson (2023) Feeling the heat: Bumblebee workers show no acclimation capacity of upper thermal tolerance to simulated heatwaves: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306456523002139
    6. Y. Sepúlveda et al. (2024) Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17135
    7. Melone et al (2024) Heatwaves increase larval mortality and delay development of a solitary bee: https://doi.org/10.1111/een.13317
    8. Gérard et al (2022) Short‐term exposure to heatwave‐like temperatures affects learning and memory in bumblebees: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16196
    9. Descamps et al (2021) Warm temperatures reduce flower attractiveness and bumblebee foraging: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12060493
    10. Vayena & Tasioulas (2015) “We the scientists”: A human right to citizen science: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-015-0204-0
    11. Potts et al (2016) Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20588
    12. Atmowidjojo et al (1997) Temperature tolerance and water balance in feral and domestic honey bees, Apis mellifera L.: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0300-9629(97)00031-5

    Further Info

    entoLIVE

    entoLIVE webinars feature guest invertebrate researchers delving into their own invertebrate research. All events are free to attend and are suitable for adults of all abilities – a passion for invertebrates is all that’s required!

    entoLIVE is delivered by the Biological Recording Company in partnership with the British Entomological & Natural History Society, Royal Entomological Society and Amateur Entomologists’ Society, with support from Buglife.

    The entoLIVE programme is delivered by Biological Recording Company and receives sponsorship from the following organisations:

    More on bees

    Check out the Bees collection on Eventbrite

    Keeping the Spark Alive: Volunteer Retention in Citizen Science

    Citizen science relies on the data returned by volunteers – thus, such projects need to maximise the chances of that happening. Clear communication, transparency about methods and objectives, and fostering a sense of ownership and community are all extremely important to keeping volunteers engaged, and invested in the success of a project. Dr Linda Birkin will delve into her experience of striking this balance, from her PhD ‘Bees & Beans’ and into the Buzz Club’s current roster of projects.

    Dr Linda Birkin is a Citizen Science Specialist, with a particular interest in urban entomology and outreach. After completing her PhD at the University of Sussex, Linda has been working for the Buzz Club since 2019.

    Q&A with Dr Linda Birkin

    1. Did the data gathered have a direct impact on the volunteers?
      The feedback that I received from volunteers as the project progressed (and I got better at retaining volunteers for it!) was that it helped them to ‘get their eye in’ for the insects that were visiting their garden. The project was teaching them about pollination and the bees that they were observing, and this led to them noticing other insect groups and they would look them up. So what they got from the project was less about their ability to grow beans and more about the organisms they were observing. This gave them a better understanding of aspects like insect ID and generally becoming more connected with the wildlife in their own garden environment. I don’t have any analysis that proves that this improved retention, but I think it is highly likely that it did!
    2. How do you balance communicating with volunteers versus bombarding them with too much content?
      When communicating about updates to a specific project, I think a monthly update is about right during the active period for the project (e.g. when bees are active for a project about pollinators). If it was once per week it is more likely that people will see the email and think “Another email from the Buzz Club, I’ll read that later” and then won’t. You can also put out more content more frequently through social media. I also make it clear when people sign up that they may get additional emails if there is an urgent or sudden update, for example, if we’ve learned that something wasn’t working and needs to be changed or there were some unforeseen circumstances. I’ve not had any complaints regarding the frequency of emails that I sent to volunteers, but it is definitely a balance to walk… you want people to remain engaged while not feeling bombarded.

    Literature References

    1. Birkin (2018) Pollination ecosystem services and the urban environment: https://hdl.handle.net/10779/uos.23455604.v1
    2. Birkin & Goulson (2015) Using citizen science to monitor pollination services: https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/een.12227
    3. Dickinson et al (2012) The current state of citizen science as a tool for ecological research and public engagement: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1890/110236
    4. Cooper et al (2007) Citizen Science as a Tool for Conservation in Residential Ecosystems: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26267884
    5. Kleinke et al (2018) Identifying Barriers to Citizen Scientist Retention When Measuring Pollination Services: https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10.5334/cstp.99
    6. Roos et al (2012) UK Hedgehog Datasets and their potential for long-term monitoring: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/publications/papers/monitoring/btorr598
    7. Pocock et al (2014) A Strategic Framework to Support the Implementation of Citizen Science for Environmental Monitoring: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Citizen%20Science%20-%20A%20Strategic%20Framework%20to%20support%20implementation%20for%20environment%20monitoring.pdf
    8. Eveleigh et al (2013) “I want to be a Captain! I want to be a Captain!”: Gamification in the Old Weather Citizen Science Project: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/2583008.2583019
    9. Roy et al (2012) Understanding citizen science and environmental monitoring: final report on behalf of UK Environmental Observation Framework: https://www.brc.ac.uk/biblio/understanding-citizen-science-and-environmental-monitoring-final-report-behalf-uk
    10. Bell et al (2008) What counts? Volunteers and their organisations in the recording and monitoring of biodiversity: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-008-9357-9
    11. Wolcott et al (2008) Sustainability of a long-term volunteer-based bird monitoring program: recruitment, retention and attrition: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277857825_Sustainability_of_a_long-term_volunteer-based_bird_monitoring_program_recruitment_retention_and_attrition
    12. Cohn (2008) Citizen Science: Can Volunteers Do Real Research?: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/58/3/192/230689
    13. Tweddle et al (2012) Guide to citizen science: developing, implementing and evaluating citizen science to study biodiversity and the environment in the UK: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/citizenscienceguide.pdf
    14. Schmeller et al (2009) Advantages of Volunteer-Based Biodiversity Monitoring in Europe: https://www.jstor.org/stable/29738730#:~:text=Volunteer-Based%20Biodiversity%20Monitoring%20with%20state-of-the-art%20survey%20designs%20or,schemes%20rather%20than%20by%20volunteer%20involvement%20per%20se.
    15. Evans et al (2005) The Neighbourhood Nestwatch Program: Participant Outcomes of a Citizen-Science Ecological Research Project: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229786182_The_Neighborhood_Nestwatch_Program_Participant_Outcomes_of_a_Citizen-Science_Ecological_Research_Project
    16. Oberhauser & Prysby (2008) Citizen Science: Creating a Research Army for Conservation: https://academic.oup.com/ae/article/54/2/103/2474890

    Further info and links

    1. Buzz Club webpage: https://www.thebuzzclub.uk/
    Go to the Buzz Club: Citizen Science Virtual Symposium page

    More for environmental professionals

    Check out our events on Eventbrite

    Bee-hind the Bees and Heatwaves Project: Lessons Learnt from PhD Research with the Buzz Club

    The Buzz Club’s Bees and Heatwaves project is part of a PhD study aimed at using citizen science to investigate how bees respond to heatwave events. This presentation explores the project’s objectives, discussing the advantages, challenges, and future prospects of working alongside citizens to support pollinators in a warming world.

    Yanet Sepulveda is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Sussex. Her research is focused on investigating the impact of climate change, particularly heatwaves, on crucial pollinators such as bumblebees.

    Q&A with Yanet Sepulveda

    1. Do you think that time commitment was a consideration for volunteers signing up?
      Yes, definitely. The project required people to be in the area for most of the day and not everyone works remotely or from home. We want to make it more flexible for the next season as we understand it may be challenging for some people to take part.
    2. Do you need to be able to identify bumblebees in order to take part?
      Not necessarily, but it is definitely advantageous. Last year we provided a previously-recorded free webinar, and this year we are providing free ID guides. We do want to see if different species have different preferences. Also, check out Dave’s guide to common bumblebees on YouTube.
    3. What’s different this year compared to last year?
      This year is going to be more flexible. We are planning to start in June and go through to around August. We are asking people to record once per week during that time, rather than waiting for a heatwave to occur. Ideally, we’d ask volunteers to record on the day of a heatwave (when they occur), but the weekly monitoring allows us to mitigate for those who can’t commit to this. We also understand that there may be some weeks when people are away or unavailable, so it’s ok if the occasional week needs to be skipped. You can find out more and sign up via the Bees and Heatwaves webpage on the Buzz Club website.
    4. Have you thought about doing controlled experiments to see if there is a pattern in bee foraging behaviour during heatwaves?
      As we monitor before heatwaves, this acts as a control and enables us to establish how bees are behaving when no heatwave has occurred. I go into the bee research aspect in more detail in my Bees and Heatwaves entoLIVE blog article.

    Literature References

    1. Sepúlveda & Goulson (2023) Feeling the heat: Bumblebee workers show no acclimation capacity of upper thermal tolerance to simulated heatwaves: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306456523002139  
    2. Hager et al (2022) Citizen science in environmental and ecological sciences: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-022-00144-4  
    3. Sepúlveda et al (2024) Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17135
    4. Domroese & Johnson (2017) Why watch bees? Motivations of citizen science volunteers in the Great Pollinator Project: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.08.020  
    5. Cooper et al (2014) The invisible prevalence of citizen science in global research: migratory birds and climate change: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106508
    6. Hulbert & Liang. (2012) Spatiotemporal variation in avian migration phenology: citizen science reveals effects of climate change: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031662  
    7. Groulx et al (2019) Citizen science and the public nature of climate action: https://doi.org/10.1080/1088937X.2019.1597396
    8. Miller-Rushing et al (2019) Creative citizen science illuminates complex ecological responses to climate change: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1820266116
    9. de Sherbinin et al (2021) The critical importance of citizen science data: https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2021.650760

    Further info and links

    1. Bees and Heatwaves entoLIVE : https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2024/06/05/bees-and-heatwaves/
    2. Bees and Heatwaves: https://www.thebuzzclub.uk/bees-heatwaves
    3. Bumblebees of the UK online course: https://courses.biologicalrecording.co.uk/courses/bumblebees
    Go to the Buzz Club: Citizen Science Virtual Symposium page

    More for environmental professionals

    Check out our events on Eventbrite

    Spreading the Word Using Citizen Science: Hoverfly Lagoons Project Case Study

    The Hoverfly Lagoons project was invented in 2016, to develop an easy, cheap wildlife gardening technique. Since then the idea of creating a Lagoon for hoverflies has captured the imagination of people around the globe. This presentation will describe the reach and application of this citizen science project, as a method for raising awareness and engaging with people.

    Dr Ellen Rotheray is a senior lecturer in Ecology and Conservation, primarily interested in needs-led research and evidence-based practice with a focus on insect conservation management. Ellie has led the Hoverfly Lagoons project since 2016, and also the Buzz Club’s Buzzing Balconies project in 2018. Ellie is an advisor on the Pine Hoverfly Biodiversity Action Plan steering group and a member of the IUCN Hoverfly Specialist Group.

    Q&A with Dr Ellen Rotheray

    1. What is the participation level for the Hoverfly Lagoons project?
      This is super variable. Annually, the sites that are retained for the season are between 20 and 30, with over 200 registering their interest for each season. We don’t know how many of these never start or start but don’t finish.
    2. What is this year’s Hoverfly Lagoon project and how do you sign up?
      For this year we are exploring the effect of ponds on the recruitment to Hoverfly Lagoons, with questions such as “Do ponds and lagoons cater for the same or different species?” and “How does the presence of a pond impact the uptake of hoverfly lagoons?”. We need participants both with and without ponds so everyone is welcome to participate. You can sign up to the project via the Hoverfly Lagoons project webpage on the Buzz Club website.
    3. Where should hoverfly lagoons be located?
      You want to put it in a sheltered space and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight. Location is really important, even more so outside of gardens. If you own a woodland, it’s great to set some up there so that we can investigate what species are found in woodland versus gardens. Putting them at height (rather than on the ground) can limit the number of larvae predators.
    4. Are hoverflies good pollinators?
      Yes, they are! In some cases, flies may visit more plants than bees and their importance as pollinators is often overlooked.
    5. Do the milk cartons used degrade over time in the water?
      We strongly encourage that the milk carton is replaced each month as part of the recommended methodology. This should mean that people can still recycle it, though if it has degraded, you’d need to check this with the recycling scheme you are using. We’re not aware of any specific impact that degradation has on the hoverflies, and I personally don’t suspect there is any but we now recommend not leaving your single-use plastic in the field for longer than one month.

    Literature References

    1. Rotheray and Rotheray (2021) The puparium and development site of Rhingia rostrata (Linnaeus) and comparison with R. campestris Meigen (Diptera, Syrphidae): https://nms.iro.bl.uk/concern/articles/b1f42219-fdf3-451c-aadc-58062edae0f7
    2. IUCN SSC HSG/CPSG (2022) European Hoverflies: Moving from Assessment to Conservation Planning: https://cbsg.org/sites/cbsg.org/files/documents/European%20Hoverflies%20Moving%20from%20Assessment%20to%20Conservation%20Planning.pdf
    3. Vujić et al (2022). Pollinators on the edge: our European hoverflies. The European Red List of Hoverflies: https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/European+Red+List+of+Hoverflies?preview=/23462140/102630586/ERL%20Hoverflies.pdf

    Further info and links

    1. Hoverfly Lagoons entoLIVE: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2024/07/17/hoverfly-lagoons/
    2. Hoverfly Lagoons website: https://hoverflylagoons.co.uk/
    Go to the Buzz Club: Citizen Science Virtual Symposium page

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    When Is Citizen Science A Useful Approach? 

    Using examples from the Buzz Club and beyond, this presentation will outline some of the key things to consider before embarking on a citizen science project, such as budget, motivations of participants and the potential for engagement and behaviour change.

    Dr Beth Nicholls is a senior research fellow at the University of Sussex. She has led citizen science projects on monitoring solitary bee populations and urban food production and provided advice to the National Trust and Buglife on incorporating citizen science into their community outreach and conservation programmes.

    Q&A with Dr Beth Robinason

    1. Did you provide advice or feedback to Team PollinATE participants that were using chemical controls in their allotment plots?
      No, we didn’t give specific advice. To be honest, it was a very low number of participants and I flagged that most participants were engaging in pro-environmental practices. This is probably not too surprising, as recruitment is most likely biased towards people who are interested in pollination (particularly considering the name of the project) and may not be truly representative of allotment plot holders across the UK.
    2. Have you published the researcher versus citizen science work?
      The manuscript is still in progress and I’m hoping to get it submitted soon. It can take a little while for this to become available as it needs to go through the journal’s review process before it is published. The paper will go into more detail regarding the discrepancies between researcher and citizen scientist result, the drivers that may be causing these discrepancies and the feedback from participants. I go into more detail about this project in the Team PollinATE entoLIVE blog.
    3. How can we reach out to recruit citizen scientists?
      I think this really depends on the project. This project was very localised and had a specific audience in mind: allotment plot holders in Brighton! Therefore, I opted for the old-school method of visiting the relevant sites and putting up posters as well as speaking at the Brighton Allotment Association AGM to reach their members. It is always very useful to reach out to other groups or organisations that are already embedded within the community that you are trying to reach. I also posted in relevant Facebook groups.

    Further info and links

    1. Team PollinATE entoLIVE blog: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2023/10/05/team-pollinate/
    2. Cornell Lab: Engagement in Science and Nature: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/engagement-in-science-and-nature.
    3. Zooniverse webpage: https://www.zooniverse.org/
    4. The Noise Project: https://noiseproject.org
    5. UK CEH Citizen Science Best Practice Guide: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/citizen-science/citizen-science-best-practice-guide
    6. European Citizen Science Association: https://www.ecsa.ngo/ 
    Go to the Buzz Club: Citizen Science Virtual Symposium page

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    The Buzz Club: Citizen Science Virtual Symposium

    Gardening is a popular pastime, but not one that we do alone. Whether hidden beneath the soil, buzzing in the borders or singing on the fence, thousands of wild animals share our spaces. They provide vital support to our own horticultural successes – yet we know very little about most of them!

    The Buzz Club intends to change that. It is a citizen science club, run by scientists at the University of Sussex. Citizen Science is a way of conducting research in collaboration with the general public. The Buzz Club creates experiments that help us understand the wildlife we share our gardens with, and what we can do to conserve it. Volunteers all over the UK help the Buzz Club to answer these important questions.

    ‘The Buzz Club: Citizen Science Virtual Symposium’ showcased the successes and lessons learnt by the Buzz Club, using their large portfolio of citizen science projects as case studies. We’ll delve into examples that have formed part of PhD studies and how various studies are linked or have fed into one another.

    The event was hosted by Professor Dave Goulson and featured presentations from the Buzz Club team that focus on the origins, engagement, scientific outputs and lessons learned of this citizen science programme.

    1. Introduction to the Buzz Club with Prof Dave Goulson
    2. When Is Citizen Science A Useful Approach? with Dr Beth Nicholls
    3. Spreading the Word Using Citizen Science: Hoverfly Lagoons Project Case Study with Dr Ellen Rotheray
    4. Bee-hind the Bees and Heatwaves Project: Lessons Learnt from PhD Research with the Buzz Club with Yanet Sepulveda
    5. Keeping the Spark Alive: Volunteer Retention in Citizen Science with Dr Linda Birkin

    Introduction to the Buzz Club

    with Prof Dave Goulson

    Prof Dave Goulson will explain why insects are important, and describe the many threats they face in the modern world. He will explain how gardens and gardeners can help in providing a home for thousands of species, and the role that Buzz Club is playing in trying to inform how best to encourage insect life in gardens through conducting nationwide “citizen science” experiments.

    Dave Goulson is a Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex (UK). He has published more than 350 scientific articles on the ecology of insects. He is the author of Bumblebees (OUP 2010), and of several bestselling popular books including A Sting in the Tale (2013), A Buzz in the Meadow ( 2014), The Garden Jungle (2019) and Silent Earth (2021), collectively translated in 20 languages. Goulson founded the Bumblebee Conservation Trust in 2006, a charity that has grown to 12,000 members.

    Literature References
    1. Hallman et al (2017) More than 75 percent decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass in protected areas: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185809
    2. Goulson et al (2002) Colony growth of the bumblebee, Bombus Terrestris, in improved and conventional agricultural and suburban habitats: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28547150/
    3. Rollings & Goulson (2019) Quantifying the attractiveness of garden flowers for pollinators: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10841-019-00177-3
    4. Balfour & Ratnieks (2022) The disproportionate value of ‘weeds’ to pollinate and biodiversity: https://appliedecologistsblog.com/2022/03/17/the-disproportionate-value-of-weeds-to-pollinators-and-biodiversity/
    5. Tassin de Montaigu & Goulson (2024) Factors influencing butterfly and bumblebee richness and abundance in gardens:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723066226
    6. Lentola et al (2017) Ornamental plants on sale to the public are a significant source of pesticide residues with implications for the health of pollinating insects:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749117305158
    7. Blackmore and Goulson (2014) Evaluating the effectiveness of wildflower seed mixes for boosting floral diversity and bumblebee and hoverfly abundance in urban areas: https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/icad.12071
    Useful Links

    When Is Citizen Science A Useful Approach?

    Dr Beth Nicholls

    Using examples from the Buzz Club and beyond, this presentation will outline some of the key things to consider before embarking on a citizen science project, such as budget, motivations of participants and the potential for engagement and behaviour change.

    Check out the full blog here

    Spreading the Word Using Citizen Science: Hoverfly Lagoons Project Case Study

    Dr Ellen Rotheray

    The Hoverfly Lagoons project was invented in 2016, to develop an easy, cheap wildlife gardening technique. Since then the idea of creating a Lagoon for hoverflies has captured the imagination of people around the globe. This presentation will describe the reach and application of this citizen science project, as a method for raising awareness and engaging with people.

    Check out the full blog here

    Bee-hind the Bees and Heatwaves Project: Lessons Learnt from PhD Research with the Buzz Club

    Yanet Sepulveda

    The Buzz Club’s Bees and Heatwaves project is part of a PhD study aimed at using citizen science to investigate how bees respond to heatwave events. This presentation explores the project’s objectives, discussing the advantages, challenges, and future prospects of working alongside citizens to support pollinators in a warming world.

    Check out the full blog here

    Keeping the Spark Alive: Volunteer Retention in Citizen Science

    Dr Linda Birkin

    Citizen science relies on the data returned by volunteers – thus, such projects need to maximise the chances of that happening. Clear communication, transparency about methods and objectives, and fostering a sense of ownership and community are all extremely important to keeping volunteers engaged, and invested in the success of a project. Dr Linda Birkin will delve into her experience of striking this balance, from her PhD ‘Bees & Beans’ and into the Buzz Club’s current roster of projects.

    Check out the full blog here

    Citizen Science Panel Discussion

    Transcription of the Panel Discussion coming soon…

    Event Partners

    This event was delivered by the Biological Recording Company and the Buzz Club.

    Book your ticket here

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