BeeBox was originally conceived as a tool for conservation, engagement and research. To date, we’ve had great successes with it when it comes to aiding the conservation of these wonderful species. Bumblebees are in decline for several reasons, one of the primary ones being that their natural nesting habitats have been destroyed by urbanisation and intensive farming. BeeBox artificially supplements naturally occurring nest sites for bumblebees, so by getting a BeeBox for your garden, you can contribute to their conservation.

Alongside the conservation, we are also using BeeBox as a research tool. By adapting the design to incorporate a high-end internal camera and a lighting rig that uses infrared light (which bees can't see), we can watch bumblebees within their nest!

In our most recent research paper, published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, we present our methods to the academic community for their use in future bumblebee studies!

Our paper will also underpin all of our research group's future studies, including one we are currently running on the impact of caffeine on bumblebee nest behaviour! But more on that in a future update…

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.70095

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