In February of 2023, VCE launched a community science project studying plant-insect interactions across the Northeast United States. It’s called the Pollinator Interactions on Plants project, or ‘PIP’ for short. You can contribute—all you need is a camera (or your phone), and an enthusiasm for observing the insect life and flowers around you.
By submitting photos of interactions, your data will help us answer valuable questions such as:
- How do plant-pollinator networks vary from place to place and season to season?
- What plant traits predict pollinator use?
- Can we rank species by their ability to attract and support specialized pollinators?
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) on a Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Pollinators can be any flower-visiting animal. We are especially interested in collecting data on Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera), Bees and Wasps (Hymenoptera), Flower Flies (Diptera – Syrphidae), and even birds (like Hummingbirds) that nectar from flowers too. If you see wildlife interacting with a flower, document it!
Studies in Process
- Analysis of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) nectar plants and feeder visits: Insights from community-collected data
- Spatial and temporal variation in flower preferences of Bumble Bees across the Northeast (Bombus sp.)
