The power of citizen scientists: We need you
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Residents are being encouraged to become citizen scientists this month and identify the different types of insects you might find in your garden, local park or on a farm.
From November 12 to 20, the Australian Pollinator Count is being conducted during Australian Pollinator Week and it’s easy to take part.
There’s a simple Pollinator Count Guide to help with identifying the different types of insects you might find in your garden, local park or on a farm.
Anyone taking part in the count needs to review the guide and take a quick quiz to ensure the data collected is valid for scientific research.
Then you simply need to observe a flower or bush for 10 minutes, record the pollinators you see and register your results online.
The Australian Pollinator Count is being launched with funding from Wheen Bee Foundation, and is supported by Count partners Earthwatch Australia, Australian Native Bee Association and Bees Business.
The Wheen Bee Foundation CEO Fiona Chambers says the count is an important research project that requires the power of citizen scientists from all parts of Australia.
“More than three-quarters of the world’s food crops rely, to some extent, on insect pollination for yield or quality, and more than 95 per cent of plant species need animal pollinators to help them reproduce. Yet there is very little information available about the vast majority of natural pollinators,” Ms Chambers said.
“We need a country-wide review of the state of pollinators, and to do this we need everyone to take part.”
The Australian Pollinator Count is a long-term project to monitor the status and trends of pollinator populations.
This includes more than 2000 species of bees, along with thousands of species of flies, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles and other insects.
“We need more information about these populations so we can make informed decisions to ensure their wellbeing and safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem health,” Ms Chambers said.
For more information visit www.australianpollinatorcount.au