Citizen Science in Action with BEE HOME
Dear Volunteers,
Thanks to you, the BEE HOME project is off to a buzzing start! Over the past month, we’ve gathered nearly 100 enthusiastic volunteers in each of our three countries – Romania, Hungary, and Ukraine. In Romania, we’ve successfully involved local citizens from our key focus areas, such as Satu Mare, Carei, and nearby villages. Your participation is crucial to the success of this project.
Each of you has received a professionally installed bee hotel, and you’ve already begun observing the activity inside. By sharing your photos in the Facebook groups, you’re not just documenting what’s happening – you’re actively contributing to the project’s goals. These images support our scientific work: our entomologists, led by Dr. Zoltán László from Babeș-Bolyai University, identify the species in your photos and record them in our growing database.
So far, we’ve spotted Osmia cornuta (horned mason bee), and we’re expecting to see other solitary bee species soon, including:
– Osmia rufa (red mason bee)
– Osmia caerulescens (blue mason bee)
– Anthophora plumipes (hairy-footed flower bee)
Why does this matter?
Solitary bees play a vital role in ecosystems and food production, yet their populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. Through your observations, we can identify which species appear in specific regions – and how different landscapes influence bee activity. This helps us gain valuable data that contributes to citizen science and solitary bee conservation.
By better understanding solitary bee life cycles and habitats, we can protect them more effectively and support biodiversity in our shared environment.
The BEE HOME project, coordinated by the E-Consult Association in Romania, in partnership with the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies in Ukraine and the Felső-Tisza Foundation in Hungary, is funded by the INTERREG VI-A NEXT Hungary–Slovakia–Romania–Ukraine Programme. Our goal is to strengthen biodiversity through cross-border collaboration, community engagement, and sustainable environmental action.
What comes next?
We’re now preparing our environmental education campaigns. These will include creative tools like board games, documentary films, and public events – all designed to raise awareness and inspire action, especially among young people. Your experience as volunteers will help shape these activities.
Of course, one of our biggest challenges will be keeping everyone engaged in the long term – but your energy so far has been incredible. Let’s keep working together to make our environment safer for pollinators and richer for all of us.
Thank you for being the heart of BEE HOME! 💛