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. Dr. Janine Griffiths-Lee will explain the results of the ‘Sow Wild!’ project, followed by Isobel Sexton 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.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sow-wild-and-insect-identification-tickets-775440291787