Kids and families can be citizen scientists and collect information on bees by participating in The Great Sunflower Project, an agricultural project created by researchers at San Francisco State University.
According to project organizers, participation requires no special knowledge of bees. The project now includes over 30,000 participants in every state and every province in Canada who will record their findings and share their observations with the researchers.
Free seeds for the easy to grow wild sunflowers will be sent to participants who sign up by June 15. After that date, names will be added to a list for next year's batch of seeds. However, wild sunflower seeds may also be obtained through wildflower seed and garden stores such as American Meadows online and an online account to share your research with the project can be set up at anytime.
By watching and recording the activity of bees at sunflowers, participants can help researchers understand the challenges bees are facing and how urban habitats effect bees. Researchers will then use the data to compile a map of where bees are located and thriving in and around the continent.
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