Citizen-science opportunity

[Herb Wilson]

Hello,

Many of you were members of the Maine Butterfly Survey and the Maine Bumblee Atlas, citizen-science projects to improve our knowledge of two important groups of pollinators. Ron Butler, Beth Swartz and I are coordinating a new project to examine the distribution and flight seasons of another important group of pollinators, the flower flies (Family Syrphidae).  The project is called the Maine Flower Fly Survey (MFFS).

The flower flies are a fascinating group and more common than one might think. Many of them are dead-on mimics of bees, bumblebees, wasps and hornets so can easily be passed off as hymenopterans.

Unlike the butterfly and bumblebee projects, the MFFS will rely only on photographed specimens, to be posted on iNaturalist.  Your phone will be adequate for taking pictures of most species.

If you are interested, the link below provides more information as well as a link to a sign-up page.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u5GzpwZqNvnsAy-X9pQZxRPrVYotNABP/view?usp=sharing

Best wishes,

Herb