Beelib e p o ocol o pollen sampling and s o age
The Beelib e p ojec ollows a cus om-made p o ocol o he sampling, p ese a ion and
s o age o pollen samples om li ing specimens (Fig. 1).
Fi s , collec wild bee specimens using hand-ne ing, p e e ably wi h he assis ance o
expe ienced ield wo ke s o na u alis s. A he beelib e p ojec , his ask is pe o med by
ained specialis s om he Zoology Depa men o he Na ional Museum o Na u al
His o y o Luxembou g (MNHNL).
A e cap u e, place he bees in 2ml Eppendo ubes and cold anes he ized hem using
ice packs, empo a ily educing hei mo emen (“chill coma”). Fo small axa, use 1.5 ml
Eppendo ubes, as his helps cool hem mo e quickly.
While he bees a e incapaci a ed (usually, a ew minu es a e placing hem on he ice
packs), gen ly ub he pollen collec ing s uc u es o he anes he ized bees using he ip
o co on swabs, ca e ully ex ac ing as much pollen as possible wi hou ha ming he bee.
Depending on hei axonomic g oup, hese s uc u es may be loca ed ei he in hei legs
o in he unde side o he abdomen.
Cu he ip o he co on swab used o collec he pollen and place i in a sepa a ed
Eppendo ube. Fill ¾ o each ube wi h 96% e hanol.
All bees wi h pollen loads collec ed in his manne should be pho og aphed in si u and
assigned an indi idual code o main ain a backup eco d o hei associa ion wi h he
pollen sample. Pollen samples mus be labelled using he same iden i ica ion numbe o
hei associa ed wild bee specimen, as well as hei si e and da e o collec ion.
A e wa ds, elease all wild bees ha can be eliably iden i ied a hei inding spo . Fo
op imal esul s, his s ep equi es he assis ance o an expe ienced pa a axonomis . To
minimize le hal sampling, only specimens ha canno be eliably iden i ied in he ield a e
o be aken back o he labo a o y o u he analysis.
Fo long e m s o age, all pollen samples collec ed his way should be placed in a eeze ,
p e e ably a -20°C.
Figu e 1. Beelib e wo k low o pollen sampling and s o age. 1.- The bees a e collec ed in he ield and
anaes he ized a low empe a u es; 2.- Pollen loads a e ex ac ed di ec ly om he scopae o o aging
emales using co on swabs; 3.- Pollen samples a e placed on Eppendo ubes illed wi h 96% e hanol; 4.-
Pollen samples a e s o ed a -20 °C.
