Mayo museum talk will explore importance of monitoring Ireland’s pollinators

THE National Museum of Ireland - Country Life at Turlough Park, Castlebar, is inviting people to learn more about a national monitoring scheme which is tracking bees, hoverflies and butterflies across different habitats throughout Ireland.

The museum is hosting a special talk at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, exploring the National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme with Dr. Michelle Larkin from the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

Dr. Larkin is responsible for managing the National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme. In this talk, she will look at the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and some of the elements of this framework, which brings together different sectors across the island of Ireland to create a landscape where pollinators can survive and thrive.

Dr. Larkin will also outline how people can become involved in pollinator monitoring schemes.

The National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme is a pilot project which aims to collect data on the distribution, conservation status and trends of insect pollinators across Ireland.

The project is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Ireland’s wild insects, such as bees and hoverflies, are critical for plant reproduction and pollinate many of our wild plant and crop species. However, insect pollinators are experiencing global population declines with negative consequences for pollination services and ecosystem stability.

Unfortunately, research has shown that 30% of Ireland’s wild bee species are at risk of extinction. More data is needed on pollinator insects and their interactions across different types of habitats from farms and forests to urban parks. This data will be used to inform pollinator monitoring and conservation policies at a local, national and European level.

Learn more about the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, the National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme and how you can take part.

This talk takes places from 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough Park, in association with the new temporary exhibition, The Murmur of Bees.

The talk is suitable for adults and children aged 14 years plus. Admission is free but booking is required as places are limited. Email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie or telephone the museum bookings office on (094) 9031751.

Visit https://www.museum.ie/ for further information.