How can I help monitor Northfield’s Bumble Bees (and bees in other regions)?
- Take a photo that clearly shows the back of the bee, ideally with its wings spread (this can be hard and often results in fuzzy pictures)
- Take a video clip with your cell phone (10-15 seconds should work).
- Review the video and pause it at a point where the wings are spread and you can see the full pattern on the bee’s back.
- Take a screen shot of the video at the moment when you can see the full pattern on the bee’s back (*see instructions below on ways of taking screen shots).
- Submit your photo to the citizen science website, bumblebeewatch.org, so bumble bee specialists can confirm what species you observed. If you take photos of other insects, submit those to iNaturalist. If you are submitting observations to bumble beewatch.org from the Northfield area be sure to select the Project Name “Northfield Bumble Bee Count (St. Olaf)” at the bottom of the page!
*How do I take screenshots from videos?
We have found it difficult to take photos of bees in action as they visit flowers, but we have had success taking short video clips and taking screenshots at the moment when bees are in focus and have their wings spread nicely.
From your iphone…
View the video and pause it at the point where you can see the bee clearly. Press the home and sleep buttons simultaneously. The screen will turn white and the shutter release sound will be heard. The image will appear in your camera roll.
From your laptop or desktop…
If you import your image into iphotos on your desk or laptop you can take a screenshot by freezing the video clip and either:
1) selecting command, shift, 4 all at the same time and choosing the part of the picture you would like to save (these files will end up on your desktop)
2) choosing the “gear” icon in the bar of the video clip and choosing “Export Frame to Pictures” (these files will end up in your Photos folder on your hard drive)