An intense period of work for INSIGNIA-EU’s 2022 “Pilot Study” is now completed. Field sampling has now finished, and all the samples are now on the way to be shipped to the various INSIGNIA-EU labs in Athens, Wageningen, Almeria and Braganca. It is with great excitement that we look forward to the results.

For these studies we have developed new sampling methods for detecting microplastics, heavy metals, particulate matter, and air pollution in general. These new methods will be added to our existing INSIGNIA Citizen Scientist protocol where we in 2019 sampled pollen for botanic origin and APIStrips for pesticides residues detection from the bee colonies. The process of developing the additional methods for sampling the bee colonies, has been very creative, from using pumps to sample the air for Particulate Matter, to inserting sticky paper into the colonies in a trap frame to sample microplastics, and using silicone wrist bands to sample VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) which are organic air pollutants as well as using propolistraps to see if propolis is a relevant matrix as well.

This time we have also been collecting samples of live bees, honey and wax.

When all these new methods have been evaluated, the next challenges facing INSIGNIA-EU are: 1. How effective and consistent are these methods? and 2. do they fit in to a Citizen Science approach? 3. Are they non-invasive for the honey bee colony? It is important how good these methods are from a scientific point of view, but even as important is how they can be integrated into beekeeping practice. Firstly, the methods must be easy to use. It is important that the methods are easy to install and then remove from the colony. It is important that they are not too time consuming for the beekeeper, and equally important that they do not influence the colony.

We are currently very excited to find out in what direction the results will move the project. All the different methods will be very intensively discussed at a physical meeting of the consortium which will take place in Greece in November. This will be the first time that the INSIGNIA-EU consortium have all been able to physically meet since the Covid-19 pandemic prevented overseas travel.

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