Hi, dear friend!

Definitely! You can observe and record pollinators and plants anywhere — in a local park, your neighborhood, a hiking trail, or even while traveling. It’s a great reason to explore and engage with nature this summer.

Yes! Once you register and complete at least 2 Pollinator Counts and 2 Flora Abundance records, you’ll unlock access to the live leaderboard.

Simply search by your first name or surname to find your spot. We'll keep the leaderboard updated regularly, so you can track your progress, see where you stand, and cheer on your fellow HiveTracks explorers!

Yes, as long as you sign up for the challenge on this page first. Once registered, we’ll automatically count any qualifying records you submit during the campaign period (July 1 – 14), whether they’re from an existing site or a new one.

To set up a Site on your mobile app:

1. Open the app and navigate to the Home screen.

2. Click the Add site button (located at the bottom).

3. Enter your site's information and then make sure to hit Create Site on the coordinates page.

Here is a tutorial video showing you how to set up a site in the app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zAtP1fVrTQ

To create a Pollinator Count record in the mobile app, watch the video tutorial here or follow these steps:

1 From the Home screen, tap the biodiversity site where you want to create the record.

2 Tap the big yellow button with the hive icon.

3 Select “Record”, then choose “Pollinator Count.”

Read the Instructions First

Inside the Pollinator Count screen, you’ll find a button with detailed instructions, including:

• The scientific method to follow

• Examples and videos for reference

We strongly recommend reading these carefully to make sure your data is valid for the project and the competition.

Recording Process

1 Take a quadrat photo to set your observation area.

2 When you’re ready, start the timer and begin counting pollinators as they appear.

3 Once the timer ends, you’ll be asked to identify the pollinators you observed.

4 Save the record.

Important: Once the timer has started, there’s no going back. If you quit before it ends, your progress will be lost.

Review or Edit Past Records

After saving, you can view your records by:

• Going to the biodiversity site

• Tapping the “History” tab

Here, you’ll see all your past records. Tap a record to view its details.

To edit or delete it, tap the three dots (⋮) in the top-right corner of the record.

Flora Abundance records help you document the types and quantity of flowering plants at a biodiversity site. To ensure the data is useful, it’s important to follow the scientific method built into the app. Follow instructions below, or check-out the video tutorial here.

Step-by-Step:

1 From the Home screen, tap the biodiversity site where you want to create the record.

2 Tap the big yellow button with the hive icon.

3 Select “Record”, then choose “Flora Abundance.”

Read Instructions Carefully

Before starting the record, you’ll see:

• A detailed instruction panel

• A video tutorial explaining the process

• Image references to help you understand what to do

Take a moment to go through these resources to ensure your data is collected correctly.

Recording Process

1. Start by taking 4 mini quadrat photos—each one represents a small square section of the survey area.

2. For each mini-quadrat, upload flora photos and follow the guided steps.

3. Once finished, identify the plant species and save your record.

Tip: Take your time! Once a mini-quadrat is finished, going back may cause you to lose progress and require starting over. There’s no timer here, so move at your own pace.

Review or Edit Past Records

After saving, you can review your Flora Abundance records by:

• Going to the biodiversity site

• Tapping the “History” tab

Here, you’ll see all your records. Tap to expand and view details.

To edit or delete, tap the three dots (⋮) in the top-right corner of the record.

Document Flora records are used to capture and identify different flowering plant species at a biodiversity site. You can use photos from your phone or take new ones on the spot.

Step-by-Step:

1 From the Home screen, tap the biodiversity site where you want to create the record.

2 Tap the big yellow button with the hive icon.

3 Select “Record”, then choose “Document Flora.”

Uploading Your Photos

You can either:

• Take new photos with your phone’s camera, or

• Upload photos from your device’s gallery

You can add up to 10 images per record.

Each plant species will later be saved as an individual record in your history.

Identification & Bloom Status

For each photo:

• Identify the species

• Mark whether the plant is currently blooming

Once you’ve filled in this information for all selected images, save the record.

Review or Edit Past Records

After saving, you can review your Document Flora records by:

• Going to the biodiversity site

• Tapping the “History” tab

Tap any record to view its details.

To edit or delete it, tap the three dots (⋮) in the top-right corner of the record.

Document Pollinator records are used to capture images of pollinators you observe at a biodiversity site. You can use your phone’s camera or upload existing photos.

Step-by-Step:

1 From the Home screen, tap the biodiversity site where you want to create the record.

2 Tap the big yellow button with the hive icon.

3 Select “Record”, then choose “Document Pollinator.”

Uploading Your Photos

You can either:

• Take new photos of pollinators with your phone’s camera, or

• Upload images from your photo gallery

You can upload up to 10 images per record.

Each image will be saved as an individual pollinator record once submitted.

Identification

For each photo:

• Identify the pollinator species

Once all images are reviewed and identified, save the record.

Review or Edit Past Records

After saving, you can find your Document Pollinator records by:

• Going to the biodiversity site

• Tapping the “History” tab

Tap any record to see the details.

To edit or delete a record, tap the three dots (⋮) in the top-right corner.

To be eligible for prizes, you’ll need to submit at least:

- 2 Flora Abundance records - 2 Pollinator Count records

Add as many Document Flora and Document Pollinator entries as you can — they’ll help boost your chances and support biodiversity insights.

Each record counts once per species, not per individual. For example, if you see 500 honey bees during a Pollinator Count, that’s recorded as one honey bee observation. The same goes for Flora Abundance — if a certain plant species is blooming in abundance, it still counts as a single entry for that species. The goal is to document species diversity, not total volume.

If you’re contributing to a shared site within a group, all users connected to that site will receive full credit for any records submitted there during the competition.

That means if you and others are tied to the same site, everyone will see those records reflected in their leaderboard totals.

Our Recommendation:

To keep your data clean and clearly attributed:

- Create a new site that belongs only to you

- Or use an existing site that isn’t shared with any groups or other users

This helps avoid confusion and ensures your contributions are fully recognized.

We take your data and privacy seriously. Here’s what you need to know:

Data Use & Privacy

• All data submitted during the Challenge will be handled in line with GDPR and relevant U.S. data protection laws.

• HiveTracks will never sell or share your personal data or individual observations with third parties.

• Some biodiversity data may be used for research, reports, or conservation efforts, but always in aggregated and anonymized form.

Publicity Consent

By participating in the Challenge, winners agree that HiveTracks may use their name, likeness, and submitted content in:

• Social media announcements

• Website features

• Marketing materials

This is for promotional purposes and does not involve any additional compensation.

If you prefer not to have your information shared publicly, please contact us at support@hivetracks.com.

Some records—like Flora Abundance and Pollinator Count—can include multiple species in a single submission. To keep things fair and consistent for the competition:

Each individual species recorded will count as one entry on the leaderboard.

So for example:

• If you identify 3 different species in a single Flora Abundance record, that will add 3 points to your tally.

• The same rule applies to Pollinator Counts—each distinct species you identify counts individually.

This helps reward quality observations and encourages more detailed biodiversity reporting.

All records submitted during the Challenge period are counted as soon as you submit them—but you won’t appear on the leaderboard right away unless you meet a few basic requirements.

Not Seeing Your Name? Here’s What to Check:

1. Minimum Activity Not Met


To appear on the leaderboard, you must complete at least:

• 2 Pollinator Count records

• 2 Flora Abundance records


Once you meet this minimum, all your records submitted during the campaign will be reflected in your total.

2. Email Mismatch

• 
Make sure you signed up using the same email address linked to your HiveTracks account. This is how we track your submissions.

3. Still Not Showing Up?


Reach out to us at support@hivetracks.com with your:

• Full name

• Email used in the app

• Any details you think might help

We’ll get it sorted quickly!

While this challenge is only open to participants within the US for prizes and leaderboard eligibility, you’re absolutely welcome to join and contribute from anywhere in the world. Your observations still matter a lot, and we encourage you to register and take part! Plus, by joining now, you’ll be the first to hear about our upcoming global challenges. We hope to see your contributions soon!

Participants need to be 18 years or over to join the competition. For full entry requirements, be sure to review our Terms and Conditions linked above.

If you’re curious about what else you can do with the app or need help with something not covered here, we’ve got you covered.

Visit our Help Desk for a full library of:

• Step-by-step tutorials

• Feature explanations

• Troubleshooting guides

• FAQs for both mobile and HiveTracks Pro

Help Desk Center

It’s the best place to learn more, get unstuck, and make the most out of your beekeeping and biodiversity monitoring experience.