INDIANAPOLIS — Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) is calling on all Indianapolis residents to become citizen scientists and partake in KIB’s Wild Pollinator Count Week on July 17 – 23. This week-long event will engage Indianapolis in the important work of not only counting pollinators but educating Hoosiers on the need to plant native to help people and nature thrive. “Pollinators” can be birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, or any living things that transfers pollen. Why count pollinators? One in every three bites of food we eat are impacted by bees and other pollinators.
This citizen scientist initiative is important because the data gathered will help guide conservation and restoration efforts, tree and other native plantings, as well as raise awareness of how vital pollinators are to the Indianapolis urban ecosystem.
New this year, Indianapolis residents will use the iNaturalist mobile app to log pollinator counts. Using iNaturalist is simple and will include Indy’s pollinator counts in a world-wide citizen scientist effort to understand the living things in our environment. Directions on how to use iNaturalist can be found at www.kibi.org/kibees, where counts can also be uploaded through KIB’s website.
During Pollinator Count Week, KIB staff and volunteers will host pop-up pollinator counts throughout the city. KIB has also partnered with Girls, Inc. to include the Pollinator Count in all of the organization’s summer camps. Be on the lookout in greenspaces near you and follow @kibiorg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for up-to-date locations.
Pollinator Count Kits will also be available for download and available at all Indianapolis Public Library branches and YMCA locations. Kits include a Pollinator Data Sheet, a “Buzz Off! I’m Counting” yard sign/ruler, and a guide to common Indiana pollinators. Data can be uploaded on the KIB website, iNaturalist app, or delivered to KIB’s offices (1029 Fletcher Ave.).
Last year nearly 200 individual counts occurred during the inaugural Pollinator Count Week; the equivalent of 772 minutes of observation that captured the activity of over 2,000 pollinators. Visit www.kibi.org/kibees to learn how to get involved.