How to run a village hedgerow bee survey with smartphone photos: exact id features, sampling route and how to submit records

I run short, repeatable surveys of hedgerow bees around my village using nothing more than a smartphone, a pocket notebook and a simple plan. Over several seasons I’ve learnt which photos actually help with identifications, how to design a route that gives reliable, repeatable samples, and where to send records so they count for conservation. Below I share exactly what I do when surveying hedgerows — the ID features I look for, the sampling route I use, and the easiest ways to submit records so they help researchers and local conservation groups.

Why hedge bees matter (and why a smartphone is enough)

Hedgerows are linear habitats rich in flowers and nesting sites for a large variety of bees: bumblebees, solitary mining bees, mason bees and small sweat bees. You don’t need a microscope or a net to contribute useful data. Modern phones take detailed images that, combined with good metadata (date, time, GPS, plant species), are frequently enough for experienced recorders to confirm species or at least genus. Plus it’s low-impact: I rarely handle bees unless I’m trained and the specimen already needs help.

Basic gear and apps I use

Smartphone with a good camera (I use a mid-range Android and occasionally an iPhone; both work fine).

Clip-on macro lens (optional) — inexpensive 15–20x macro clips help for small species.

Notebook or notes app to record route, weather and dominant flowers.

iNaturalist or iRecord for submissions; BeeWatch and BWARS (Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society) are essential for UK specialists.

Small tripod or phone clamp for steady close-ups if you have time.

When and where to survey

Time of day and season matter. I try to survey between 10:00 and 16:00 on dry, warm (above 12°C) and calm conditions; bees are most active and easiest to photograph then. Peak months in the UK are April–June for early spring species and July–August for many solitary species and later bumblebees.

I choose a single hedgerow and walk a fixed transect: typically 500 m of hedgerow, stopping every 50 m for two minutes to scan and photograph. This gives ten stops per transect and takes about 45–60 minutes including walking. Repeat the same transect weekly or fortnightly to build a useful time series.

Sampling route — a simple, repeatable plan

Mark the start and end points on your phone’s map or in your notebook (GPS coordinates help).

Walk at a steady pace and stop at fixed intervals (every 50 m or at each accessible gate).

At each stop, spend 2–3 minutes looking and photographing bees on the flowers, under leaves, and along the hedge base.

Record dominant flower species, weather (temperature, cloud, wind), and any disturbance (mowing, grazing).

If a bee is abundant on one plant, photograph multiple individuals — variation helps ID and shows behaviour (foraging, carrying pollen).

Photo tips that actually help identification

Get multiple angles: dorsal (top), lateral (side), and frontal (face) shots. The face shows mouthparts and hair bands, dorsal shows banding and tergal patterns, side shows body shape and scopa (pollen-carrying hairs).

Include a photo of the flower and surrounding habitat — many bees are flower specialists and plant ID helps narrow species.

Keep background simple and steady the phone. Use a macro clip for very small bees.

Don’t chase bees too far — short bursts of approach and gentle positioning usually work; stop if the bee appears stressed.

Exact ID features to photograph (smartphone-friendly)

Below are the practical field cues I look for. These are chosen because they’re visible in phone photos and are commonly diagnostic at genus or species level in UK hedgerow contexts.

Group	Visible ID features (photo targets)	Typical flowers/habitat
Bumblebees (Bombus)	Overall size and shape; banding pattern on thorax/abdomen; colour of hairs (black/yellow/orange/white); face and tongue length (long-tongued species visit deep flowers).	Hedgerow flowers: bramble, hawthorn, blackberry, knapweed
Mining bees (Andrena)	Slender body; pale facial hair patches (foveae) on females; pale hindleg pollen scopa; often a brown/black abdomen with pale bands.	Early spring flowers: willow catkins, blackthorn, cowslip
Mason/Leafcutter bees (Osmia)	Stocky, metallic sheen in some species (blue/green); females have pollen-carrying hairs on underside of abdomen (hard to see but side shots help).	Spring shrubs and hedgerow flowers; cavities in old stems
Sweat bees (Lasioglossum)	Small size (4–8 mm); often metallic green or dark; look for thin, sparse hairs; need clear close-up shots to separate from flies.	Warm, sunny patches on hedgerow flowers
Nomada (cuckoo bees)	Wasplike, slender, often bright red/orange markings; lack dense hairs and scopa (look almost hairless compared to others).	Associated with hosts on hedgerow margins

Behavioural cues to photograph

Pollen-carrying: photos of hindlegs or underside showing pollen baskets/scopa are very useful.

Nesting behaviour: burrows or stems with cut leaves suggest nesting species.

Flight vs. foraging: close-foraging shots, not just mid-air, are far more helpful.

Submitting records — step-by-step

My workflow is simple: I upload to iNaturalist (or NBN/iRecord) straight from the phone, then cross-post to specialist projects that feed into national schemes.

iNaturalist: create an observation, attach all photos, add plant ID if you know it, ensure location and time are correct. Community IDs often get you to genus or species quickly.

iRecord (NBN Atlas): use the iRecord app or web upload if you prefer a more formal route. Records here are accessible to local biological records centres.

BWARS and BeeWatch: BWARS relies heavily on iRecord; BeeWatch accepts photos via their portal and is useful for mason bees and solitary species. If you have a likely rare or notable species, contact your local recorder or BWARS directly (they usually provide guidance on verification).

Include notes: behaviour, plant species, number of individuals, and any uncertainty. Good notes speed up verification.

Quality control and getting IDs verified

For tricky groups I attach the best photos to iNaturalist and tag “needs ID.” Join UK bee groups on iNaturalist or Facebook — experienced recorders often help. If you think you’ve found a rare species, contact your local county recorder or BWARS before publishing exact sensitive locations; they can advise on verification and conservation implications.

Ethics and safety

Never handle bees unless trained — many solitary bees are delicate and some bumblebee species are declining.

Keep disturbance to a minimum: photograph quickly, avoid trampling nectar sources, and don’t interfere with nests.

Respect private land: always ask permission if your transect crosses farm tracks or private hedges.

Running a hedgerow bee survey with a smartphone is accessible and rewarding. Repeating the same route across the season builds a dataset that helps local recorders and contributes to wider monitoring. With a few good photos, clear metadata and the right submission route, anyone can add useful records to help conserve our buzzing hedgerows.