Pennsylvania gardeners collect thousands of bees to help science research
A group of dedicated master-gardeners in Pennsylvania spent three years collecting wild bees for research. Their work has changed what scientists know about local bee populations
A special group nicknamed the “beeple“ – made up of 20 Pennsylvania master-gardeners – has done something amazing with their bee-catching skills. Since about three years ago theyʼve been super-busy helping the Pennsylvania Bee Monitoring Program; catching and documenting wild bees all over the state
Their hard work paid off big time: these nature-loving volunteers have gathered more than 25‚000 bee specimens across 25 different counties (which is quite impressive for a small team). The collection spots are everywhere – from busy city parks and forest openings to power-line areas and even their own backyard gardens
Every year from march till november these dedicated bee-watchers go out with their nets and traps; working in all kinds of weather to study these important insects. Their findings have completely changed what scientists used to think about wild-bee populations in the keystone state – both how many different types there are and where they live
