Citizen science in the garden, observe bumblebees and butterflies

Pollinators are vital to ecosystems, and without them we would be left with hardly any fruit or vegetables on our tables! Among them, bumblebees and butterflies deserve particular recognition for their daily toil, even though they are among the victims of biodiversity under pressure: destruction and fragmentation of their habitat, climate change, environmental pollution, etc.

The pollinator extraordinaire is undoubtedly the bumblebee. The main asset of this behind-the-scenes worker is its long tongue, which allows it to penetrate deep into the heart of flowers. Unlike its honeybee cousins, it covers all flowering periods, even in cold and rainy weather. Thanks to its fur, it is able to transport and disseminate more pollen than all of them put together. Many berries (strawberries, raspberries, etc.) and other plants would struggle to reproduce if it disappeared.

Not to be outdone, the butterfly is an equally valuable back-up pollinator. Its secret weapon? Its proboscis, furling and unfurling over the course of its travels. It feeds itself mainly on nectar. Hence its appetite for plants that provide this sweet liquid, such as lavender and clover.

Watching these pollinators at work delights young and old alike, but locating, counting and describing them is a real help in learning more about them. Join the Observatory of pollinating bumblebees and butterflies in gardens! Through this citizen science program, you can help researchers understand the impact of urbanisation, climate conditions and gardening practices on these species. You don’t have to be a specialist to participate! Once you have selected and described your corner of greenery (private garden, public park, balcony, etc.) you can start observing. For our two pollinators, the counting period is the same: from March to October. With the help of a data sheet, you can easily identify the different types located. Then, the protocol changes. Bumblebees, recognisable by the pattern, width and colour of the stripes on their bodies, are observed at least once a month, for 5 consecutive minutes, depending on your availability. Butterflies, which can be identified by their colour, size and wing eye spots (golden circles with a black centre), must be examined every week, with no time limits. All you have to do is enter the highest number of individuals seen simultaneously for each type on the specific site. Isn’t that a great way of helping biodiversity?

The Opération Papillons program is coordinated in partnership with Noé.
The Observatoire des Bourdons program is coordinated in partnership with the Groupe Associatif Estuaire.