While many pollinators such as solitary wild bees, beetles, and ants, nest and overwinter in the ground, not much is known about how they are affected by soil health. The EU funded project ProPollSoil is dedicated to this underappreciated group of pollinators: those that depend on soil. By connecting experts, local communities and Citizen Science, ProPollSoil wants to understand, manage, and protect soil-dependent pollinators.
To address the knowledge gap on soil-dependent pollinators, ProPollSoil has launched EuroBeeSoil, a Citizen Science initiative on iNaturalist. Gardeners, photographers, naturalists, and other nature enthusiasts are encouraged to participate by photographing bee nests and sharing their observations. Researchers are particularly interested in signs of nesting activity, such as small holes or burrows in bare ground, bees entering or leaving the soil, or clusters of nest entrances.
These observations will help researchers understand where soil-nesting bees occur, how soil conditions influence their nesting success, and how land management can support healthy pollinator populations. The results will contribute to conservation efforts and pollinator-friendly soil management across Europe. Join the EuroBeeSoil project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/eurobeesoil
Nesting site wanted
ProPollSoil is also interested in confirmed nest sites of ground-nesting bees, especially genera such as Andrena, Lasioglossum, Halictus, and Colletes. If you observe such nesting sites, please contact p.noiset@lmu.de. We will evaluate the sightings, and in selected cases observers may be contacted about possible further collaboration.
By combining Citizen Science observations with targeted field data, ProPollSoil can build a more complete picture of how soil conditions shape pollinator populations across Europe. Whether you are an experienced naturalist or simply curious about the wildlife around you, your contribution can help uncover the hidden connections between healthy soils and healthy pollinator communities.
