INSIGNIA: Beekeepers as citizen scientists investigate the environment of their honey bees

Abstract

Beekeepers can be valuable volunteers in large scale research studies. They own honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies, have basic equipment, and are knowledgeable about apiculture. In the INSIGNIA project, citizen science beekeepers collected samples from their colonies over two seasons. Several protocols and different sampling devices for beekeeper participation in monitoring the environment for pesticides and bee forage sources were developed and tested, including all steps until sample analysis in the laboratory. The study was accompanied by studies investigating the motivations and skills of beekeepers volunteering as citizen scientists. The samples and information collected with the help of citizen scientists will be used to model the biodiversity of pollen sources, risk mapping for pollinators and environmental pollution in different environments.