Insects are counting on you to count them!
It's time for Flower-Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts) again!
With concerns that the numbers of pollinating insects such as wild bees and flies are declining, the National Biodiversity Data Centre is seeking the public's help to help track changes in abundance.
You can help by doing a Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count) which is designed to collect new data on the numbers of flower-visiting insects.
FIT Counts are an important way to you can help the Centre monitor pollinators. The most useful counts are those that are repeated over time at the same location, or nearby. While it is hugely beneficial for the National Biodiversity Data Centre to gain your statistics, it can be helpful for the homeowner too who can chart how effective their own planting is at attracting pollinators.
The survey can be conducted any time between April 1 to September 30, and any environment will do, whether it's your garden, farm, local park, business or school.
To get involved, download the free FIT Count App, watch a 50x50cm patch of flowers for 10 minutes and count how many insects visit. To ensure you are surveying the correct size of area, it's helpful to cut a 50x50cm square from a cardboard box.
You can carry out a FIT Count anywhere, and on any flower, but where you can, please use one of the 15 target flowers. In April, it's especially useful to carry out FIT Counts on Dandelions. You do need to wait until it’s sunny and at least 13C though!
In 2022, 673 validated FIT Counts were submitted by 137 different volunteers. The average number of insects per FIT Count was eight. The most common insect group recorded were bumblebees, and the most common habitat FIT Counts were carried out in was gardens.
To download the App, simply google 'FIT Count' and it will flag the relevant section of National Biodiversity Data Centre website and you can follow the process from there.
If you are concerned by how few pollinators you have recorded in 10 minutes, there are helpful guides to improve the habitat available from www.pollinators.ie