We established a community science monitoring program to assess bee biodiversity across the state of Pennsylvania (USA) using specimen collections with nets, blue vane traps, and bowl traps. We recruited 26 participants, mostly Master Gardeners, from across the state to sample bees after receiving extensive training on bee monitoring topics and methods. Then we compared the results from our collections to research-grade observations from iNaturalist during the same time period (2021 and 2022). Overall our collections documented 235 species, 6 state records, and over 600 county records. iNaturalist data showed strong biases towards large-bodied and non-native species. While we show some of the strengths of photo-based biodiversity monitoring, overall we find non-lethal observations cannot replace the unique insight that comes from collections.

Nash Turley is an ecologist with broad interests in plant-animal interactions, community and restoration ecology, and science communication. He got his PhD at University of Toronto and was previously a postdoc at Michigan State University and University of Central Florida. Currently, Nash is using long-term bee monitoring data to understand how bee communities in Pennsylvania have changed over the last 20 years. In addition, he is working with master gardeners to set up a state-wide bee monitoring program which will be the subject of this talk for the Society.

We will be awarding the Calvert Awards to junior and high school students for the best insect-focused science projects exhibited at the Delaware Valley Science Fair.

Come view the Academy of Natural Science’s new exhibit “Drawing from the Collections: The Evolutionary Success of Beetles” outside our meeting room before the meeting.

Along with refreshments, you will enjoy viewing some of the Academy’s spectacular bee specimens displayed in the meeting room, including Drexel student Liz Otruba’s bee research at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.