Reading the headlines of 2020 can be pretty overwhelming. Between a pandemic, an economic crisis and even a much-hyped sighting of 鈥渕urder hornets鈥� in the Pacific Northwest, it can all leave one feeling pretty helpless about attempting to be a force for good in the world.
But on an ecological level, at least one such attempt can take place right in one鈥檚 own backyard 鈥� and Nicole Miller-Struttmann and bee experts everywhere will be grateful for it. Miller-Struttmann and fellow biologists at Webster University and St. Louis University are launching , a collaborative project powered by citizen scientists.
It requires only some sunshine, a camera and completion of a single virtual training session on May 20, 21 or 23. Shutterbee鈥檚 organizers are intent on reaching a real scientific goal: to discover how landscape features and land management decisions affect bee diversity and behavior.
One Wednesday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air, Miller-Struttmann joined host Sarah Fenske to talk about how Shutterbee works. She also delved into the critical roles bees play on Earth and some of the threats they face.
Listen:
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , , and Joshua Phelps. The audio engineer is .
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