Sow Wild! and Insect Identification with The Biological Recording Company

Habitat loss and fragmentation are considered the foremost threats in pollinator decline, and in England and Wales, 97% of wildflower meadows were lost by 1984. Gardens have considerable potential for supporting pollinators, covering large areas of urban landscapes often with diverse floral resources. Buzz Club used citizen science to investigate the effectiveness of small 4m2 sown wildflower ‘mini-meadows’ in UK gardens and allotments in recruiting beneficial insects. They then examined effective methods and any potential bias in the identification and sampling methods conducted by citizen scientists. Janine will explain the results of the ‘Sow Wild!’ project, followed by Issy who will talk about the Buzz Club’s new ‘Insect ID Quiz’ project. The insect ID Quiz is helping the Buzz Club determine if training will help to limit any identification bias in citizen science observations.

Dr Janine Griffiths is a post-doctoral researcher at RBG Kew. Based at Wakehurst, she works in the Nature Unlocked team studying pollinators in the landscape. Her current focus is the benefits of different tree species to pollinators, habitat management in urban gardens, and citizen science.

Issy Sexton is a Research Assistant at the University of Sussex, specialising in pollinator-focused citizen science. She also has a background in community engagement and environmental policy.

entoLIVE is delivered by the Biological Recording Company, British Entomological & Natural History Society, Royal Entomological Society and Amateur Entomologists’ Society, with support from Buglife and the Field Studies Council.

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