Our Photo Survey Protocol

Keeping social distancing a priority, we are switching this year's BeeBlitz to a remote affair. On June 27th, please join us in a photo survey of your yard, local park, or wildland.

A standardized survey aims to photograph bees for the same length of time, at the same time of day, in the same place, on the same flowers, and under the same weather conditions over the course of a number of successive months and years. That way, the samples can be compared as a series of like items.

We have created a simple protocol for conducting a standardized photo survey. We are currently focused on bumble bees, because they can be identified using photographs in this region and they are important native pollinators of wild and cultivated plants. All observations can be submitted to iNaturalist using the unique tagging system for our project: STL BeeBlitz.

Checkout our handy "cheatsheets" with reminders, important details, and recommendations:

Citizen scientists locating 2x2m plots of flowering plants for their timed photo surveys. Participants receiving training on how to choose ideal patches of flowers that reflect the flowering diversity at a given location.

Photo-Survey Protocol Details

In order for this photo survey technique to work most efficiently, it is helpful to have your photographs geo-referenced. If you are using the camera on a smart device, turn on the GPS:

iPhone: Settings => Privacy => Location Services => Camera => While Using the App
Android: Swipe down dashboard: Settings (in top right) => Security => Location => On
Google: Swipe down dashboard: Settings (in bottom right) => Security and Location => Location => On

If you are using a traditional camera, please follow the instructions for geo-referencing your photographs (details are provided in the section below)

Observations should be made on mostly sunny, warm days between 10am and 2pm. Bee activity changes with the weather. If it is overcast and cool, fewer bees will be foraging. To minimize the effect of weather on our counts, we only collect when the weather is optimal for these insects.
Observe the location area. What kinds of plants are flowering? Which are most abundant? Which are the bees favoring?
Place your first 2m x 2m plot on a patch of flowers at your observation location that is representative of flowering diversity. Record the plant species name(s), if known.
Label your whiteboard with: the location name and plot name, so you can keep track of which photographs were taking in which plot.
Take a photograph of the whiteboard with the Location name and 2m x 2m plot number (e.g., “PCA plot1”). Check our tips for Photographing Bees for identification purposes. It also helps to practice, practice, practice (particularly before your first official survey).
Observe that plot for 10 minutes, taking several photographs of every bee that you see from multiple angles.
- To help you keep track of each bee observed, take a photo of your hand or whiteboard in between each individual bee’s photos.
Choose up to 10, 2x2m plots that represent the flowering diversity (both the number and relative abundance of each species) in that location. Plots must be a minimum of 5 m apart. REPEAT steps 2-7.
At the end of your survey, submit your observations to iNaturalist

Upload and LABEL your photos on iNaturalist

Using the iNaturalist APP

Download the iNaturalist App. Create an account & sign in.
Join the STL BeeBlitz project by following the “More” link on the bottom right. Select “Projects”. Search for and select our project.
Select the CAMERA button at the bottom of the app screen. Allow the app to access your photos and location.
Upload a photo of one individual bee & select the NEXT button
Fill out the DETAILS page, add additional photos of that INDIVIDUAL bee (only 1 bee per submission)
- ***IMPORTANT*** Add a label in the “Notes...” text box with: the project name, location, plot, and bee number (example: stlbb DP1 plot1 bee1).
- Add your submission to our Project by selecting “STL BeeBlitz” under the Project downdown menu
- (Optional) Answer the “What did you see?” question by identifying the bee
- (Optional) add the plant species name(s)
Make sure the DATE matches when the photograph was taken
Check the LOCATION. If your photograph is geo-referenced, it will fill automatically. If not,
- Use the embedded map to find your location
- OR use the iNaturalist website & enter the GPS coordinates provided [see below]
Select the green SHARE button

Using the iNaturalist WEBSITE

Create an account & SIGN IN to the iNaturalist website: www.inaturalist.org

1. Find STL BeeBlitz project using the search function

i. Select the “Join” button.

ii. Verify your that you want to join by selecting “Yes, I want to join” at the bottom of the page

2. Select the OBSERVATIONS tab listed under your user name

3. Select the ADD OBSERVATION button

4. Upload a photo by selecting the CHOOSE FILES button Upload additional photos using the “ADD” drop down menu on the top left

5. Fill out the DETAILS section, add additional photos of that INDIVIDUAL bee (only 1 bee per submission)

***IMPORTANT*** Add a label in the “Description” text box with: the project name, location, plot, and bee number. (example: stlbb DP1 plot1 bee1).
(Optional) Provide the species name using the key provided (iNaturalist makes suggestions)

6. Type “STL BeeBlitz” in the Projects text box.

7. Make sure the DATE matches when the photograph was taken

8. Check the LOCATION. If your photograph is geo-referenced, the information will fill in automatically. If not, enter the GPS coordinates provided [see below]

9. Select the green SUBMIT 1 OBSERVATION button