Standardized protocol for collecting bee samples to generate molecular data

Authors: LOPEZ-URIBE, MARGARITA - Pennsylvania State University; STRANGE, JAMES - The Ohio State University; WHITEMAN, LIAM - The Ohio State University; DANFORTH, BRYAN - Cornell University; JHA, SHALENE - University Of Texas At Austin; Branstetter, Michael; Koch, Jonathan; LEVENSON, HANNAH - North Carolina State University; DU CLOS, BRIANNE - Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium; WOODARD, S. HOLLIS - University Of California, Riverside

Submitted to: Journal of Melittology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2025
Publication Date: 2/18/2025
Citation: Lopez-Uribe, M., Strange, J.P., Whiteman, L., Danforth, B.N., Jha, S., Branstetter, M.G., Koch, J., Levenson, H.K., Du Clos, B., Woodard, S. 2025. Standardized protocol for collecting bee samples to generate molecular data. Journal of Melittology. https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.vi123.22596.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.vi123.22596

Interpretive Summary: Bees are in decline in the U.S. and globally and national standards and protocols are needed to guide survey and monitoring efforts. Given the growing use of molecular data to study bee health and conservation, guidance is needed on how to collect and preserve material for genetic analyses. Researchers from the U.S. National Native Bee Monitoring Network have addressed this concern by creating a protocol that details how best to preserve bee specimens and tissues for molecular work. The protocol outlines preservation methods from best to worst and gives several case studies highlighting how researchers have collected bees to answer particular questions that require molecular data, including genomics and population genetics. The study, along with other protocol papers in the issue, will guide future research and ultimately advance efforts to monitor bee species and populations in the U.S.

Technical Abstract: This protocol is designed to provide guidance on how to collect bee specimens or tissue samples appropriately for molecular analysis, with an emphasis on generating genetic and genomic data, and considerations that are critical for maintaining tissue integrity. Specifically, the protocol focuses on tissue collection and storage methods (including relevant specimen metadata recording and reporting), and not any downstream handling or analyses, the particulars of which differ depending on the aims of a given project or study. The protocol is also focused specifically on freshly collected, individual bee specimens that are collected with the intention of being used for genetic, genomic, or other molecular analyses. Although not the focus of our protocol, we also highlight the promising future role of molecular approaches to bee monitoring. This is one of a series of standardized protocols developed by the US National Native Bee Monitoring Network.