School of Life Sciences
Arizona State University, AZ
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Big-Bee
Extending Anthophila research through image and trait digitization (Big-Bee)
To learn more, and to see how you can get involved, check out the links!
Date
April 2023
Location
Tempe, Arizona
Big-Bee Official Website
ASU Natural History Collections
More Information about some of the bees pictured on this page
Ceratina
Global food production, economies and ecosystems depend on pollinators. Approximately 80% of pollinators are insects and predominantly bees (Insect: Hymenoptera: Anthophila). There are 4,000 bee species native to the United States and 1,300 species found within Arizona.
Did you notice the bee on the cover photo? That bee is Apis mellifera (honey-bee). Check out those hairy eyes! These bees are actually not native to Arizona (but are very common). You probably see these bees outside pollinating the plants around your neighborhood.
Due to many anthropogenic (human) factors, bees are decreasing in species diversity and population size. The project "Extending Anthophila research through image and trait digitization" (Big-Bee), funded by the National Science Foundation, is designed to create a digitized Bee Library. The one million high-resolution images can then be used by researchers around the world to help study these important pollinators.
