Citizen scientists urged to help log bees and map their habitats on World Bee Day

People around the UK are being urged to submit photos of bees they see out and about in nature through the Spot-A-Bee mobile app. The call for help from University of Glasgow and Cardiff researchers comes today on World Bee Day (Thursday 20 May 2021). The Spot-A-Bee app invites users to submit photos of bees, the plants that attract the insects in their garden or local area to help plot a map of plant distribution. Last year, over 8000 spots from citizens scientists all over the world were logged. Researchers say the data gathered through the app will be useful for conservation as it will provide information about plants that bees like and could encourage planting of them to create beefriendly habitats. Now they are looking for more citizen scientists to help support this project in 2021. Dr Ria Dunkley, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, said: "The pandemic has helped many of us realise just how important outside space is as well as how important it is for us to connect with the nature in our local area.