photo of bumblebee and flower

Bee surveys - record bees and help science

Bee surveys for beginners up to experts. Your bee sightings will help scientists get a better understanding of the numbers and species that we need to protect.
  Published:  02 Jul 2018    |      Last updated:  15 Mar 2024    |      1 minute read

Help bees and other pollinating insects by getting involved with monitoring and citizen science schemes. 

1. Flower-Insect Timed Count

Level: Bee-ginner - Experienced

Species: All bee species and other pollinating insects

Get involved: Via the website

Help the government’s Pollinator Monitoring Schemeby taking part in the Flower-Insect Timed Count. This is a quick and easy way to survey the pollinators on your patch.

It’s perfect for beginners, since you don’t need to identify particular species. It’s a great way to learn about pollinator diversity too.

Simply pick a patch of flowers and record the types of pollinators that visit over 10 minutes. Full guidance is provided on the Pollinator Monitoring Scheme website.

Common carder bee, Bucks - Image: David Podmore
Common carder bee, Bucks - Image: David Podmore
Credit: David Podmore

2. iRecord 

Level: Intermediate - Experienced

Species: All bee species and much more besides

Get involved: Via the website or app

If you know the species of bees you’ve seen, you can submit your photos and records to iRecord, where they'll be verified by experts. These records will feed into the National Biodiversity Network Atlas, where they'll be used by the Pollinator Monitoring Scheme.

 If you’re not confident identifying bees, get advice from the experts at iSpot or the UK Bees, Wasps and Ants Facebook page to help identify your find from a photo, then upload it to iRecord once you have your answer.

Buff tailed bumblebee
Buff tailed bumblebee
Credit: Chloe Potts / Great British Bee Count

 

3. Blooms for Bees

Level: Intermediate - Experienced

Species: Bumblebees

Get  involved: Via the app

Use the Blooms for Bees citizen science app to survey which flowers in your garden or allotment the bumblebees like to visit. The app and website include a detailed ID guide to the UK’s bumblebee species.

Early bumblebee on blackberry
Early bumblebee on blackberry
Credit: George Smith / Great British Bee Count 2018

4. BeeWalk

Level: Experienced

Species: Bumblebees

Get involved: Via the website

If you’re an experienced bumblebee identifier, you can help the Bumblebee Conservation Trust assess the state of the UK’s bumblebees by taking a monthly BeeWalk. Training events are also provided if you’d like to arm yourself with the ID skills to take part.