General objective: strengthen taxonomic capacity in EU Member States with regard to pollinating insects, and support preparation for the implementation of the
EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme “EU-PoMS”

EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme "EU-PoMS" Potts et al. 2020


The EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (EU-PoMs) was proposed by an expert group (Potts et al. 2020) and comprises:

  • Minimum Viable Scheme (‘the MVS’) - part of the Core Scheme

Pillar 1: Wild bees, butterflies and hoverflies (transect module)
Pillar 2: Wild bees and hoverflies (pan traps module)

  • Complementary modules – part of the Core Scheme

Pillar 3: Rare & threatened species module
Pillar 4: Moths module (light traps)

  • Additional modules

Pillar 5: Pollination services
Pillar 6: Flower visitors
Pillar 7: Wider insect biodiversity module (Malaise traps)


SPRING will devise and execute a series of tasks in line with the EU-PoMS proposal and as a major contribution to the EU initiative to address the declines in pollinating insects1 and help reverse them in line with the targets in the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.

  • Task 1: Butterfly Monitoring and Citizen Science

1.1 Expand eBMS (ABLE2)
1.2 Build up CS networks on pollinators

  • Task 2: Taxonomic Capacity Building

2.1 Organise basic taxonomic training
2.2 Organise advanced taxonomic training

  • Task 3: Piloting a Minimum Viable Scheme (MVS) in EU

3.1 Support pilots in EU Member States
3.2 Support refinement MVS methodology

  • Task 4: Testing additional modules

4.1 Moth module (Led-trap)
4.2 Insect Biodiversity module (Malaise trap)

  • Task 5: Communications