Dutch municipalities launch bee monitoring projects

Municipalities in the Netherlands, including Almelo and Stadskanaal, are launching biodiversity research projects focused on protecting wild bee populations. In collaboration with BeeGrateful, these initiatives utilize ‘Streetlight Bee&Bees’—specialized bee hotels mounted on lampposts to provide essential nesting sites for wild bees.

More than half of the 350 wild bee species in the Netherlands are currently threatened, largely due to a lack of nesting locations. To combat this, the projects are recruiting local volunteers, known as ‘Great Buzzers,’ to monitor the hotels. Volunteers are asked to adopt a bee hotel in their neighborhood and conduct measurements twice a year for a period of three years.

Participants receive training in bee recognition and monitoring protocols. The data collected by these volunteers will be processed by BeeGrateful and included in annual Impact Reports for the respective municipalities to help track and support local biodiversity.