To sign up to be on our email list, become a Bee Watcher, and help us learn more about bees in New York City, email us at beewatchers@gmail.com.
This year, while the data collected during the past four years is analyzed, Bee Watcher volunteers are participating in some smaller projects. You can help!
Bee Watchers Fall 2011 Research Projects
1) Observations on goldenrods and asters
These can be the most abundant flowers at this time of year and attract quite a diversity of pollinators. If you observe an interesting pollinator (bees, butterflies, wasps, beetles, or flies) on these plants, take a photo and send it in (beewatchers@gmail.com). Let us know where and when you took the photo, weather conditions etc. You can also confirm identification by submitting your image to bugguide.net.
2) Last dates of bee sightings
Please note the latest date in the season you observe bees or other pollinators and let us know. Send an email tobeewatchers@gmail.com and include date, time of day, temperature (estimated OK) and weather conditions, location and what the insect was doing (e.g., foraging on an aster blossom, resting on plant etc.).
3) General bee records from Staten Island, Queens, and the Bronx
We still lack records from these boroughs for many species that are well known in better-surveyed Manhattan and Brooklyn. Please submit images to Bugguide for identification of non-bumble bee or non-carpenter or honey bees pics. As always, be sure to include date, and detailed locational information (latitude and longitude if possible).
4) Help us identify “good” pollinator plants.
We are developing a list of plants that seem to attract the most bees or other pollinators. You can help by sending in observations about which plant species or varieties have lots of pollinator visitors. We want to know: plant species observed, primary pollinators (bees, flies, butterflies), date, location, time of day. And any other notes you think might be of interest. Photos are welcome, too. If you see a flower that is loaded with visiting pollinators, take a picture and email it to beewatchers@gmail.com.
