Community Corner

Count Bees in Your Back Yard to Aid Scientists

San Francisco State University scientists need to know about our local bee populations.

Biologists at San Francisco State University are running a nationwide survey of bee populations to determine greater trends across the country. 

It has been shown over the last five years that bees are found far more densely in rural areas than urban areas. According to Philip Riley of SFSU Communications, "urban features such as buildings and parks fragment or destroy bee habitats, making their job of pollinating plants much more difficult."

Scientists at the school are now aiming for another round of data thanks to the willing participation of people all over the country. All they ask is that you sit in your garden for at least 15 minutes and count the bees that you see. You can do this any time in the next few days, but Aug. 11 has been designated as "The Great Bee Count." All the information you need to participate can be found here.

Find out what's happening in Gilroywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In 2011, over 100,000 people participated in the bee count across the country. Already in Gilroy and Morgan Hill, seven residents have counted bees in their gardens. Check out the map above to see who has already participated. Pink dots indicate that the person saw 1-10 bees in an hour of observation, blue dots indicate 20-30 bees per hour and green dots indicate over 30 bees per hour.

Do you have bees in your garden? Are you willing to help in The Great Bee Count? Tell us in the comments!

Find out what's happening in Gilroywith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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