iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

#pollinator people. If you had just one thing to tell EU policymakers about restoring pollinator habitats, what would it be?

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

@majrundlof.bsky.social @buzznicholson.bsky.social, and I love them, so we're developing this work as a method for post-approval pesticide monitoring for bees. In the future, we hope to link to broader pollinator monitoring. Illustration by the talented Maj Persson www.majpersson.se

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

They also have the bonus that you can order boxes of them in the post! Perfect for experiments, outreach and if you need a little company. I've had some very interested delivery drivers over the years!

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Being central-place foragers, they handily sample the landscape for us. Telling us about the flowers and pesticides they encounter, and if I knew how, disease, etc.

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Their large hairy bodies, love of some of our well-known crops and abundance in the landscape make them excellent pollinators - look at all that pollen! 😍

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

#Entomologists what is your favourite indicator species and why? 🙋‍♀️I have one! Common here in temperate Europe, Bombus terrestris L. may not be everyone's favourite, but it certainly is mine!

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Thinking about impact helps my focus and objectivity and motivates me to do what I do. I want functional and sustainable landscapes for people and biodiversity. And I'll keep exploring these themes all the time it makes sense for my family, my team, and me 🥳 11/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I moved to TCD. I lecture human-biodiversity interactions, #Entomology etc. I LOVE it, but managing teams in 2 countries with 2 young kids at home is a huge challenge. I have a ginormous student loan, no magic pots of money and even with my privilege, I struggle with the elitism in Academia. 10/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

For me, humans are integral to the system. Each discipline is complex (always open to collaboration), so I aim to simplify interdisciplinarity. Pure science, applied ecology, conservation, and engagement are all important. 9/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Fast forward a few years (for another thread), linking ecology, economics, and socio-psychology became my basis. We're building a database of pollinator conservation practices to ask questions like what is best ecologically? What are large landholders most likely to do? .. 8/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I had greatly underestimated the role of socio-psychological factors (beyond economics) in shaping people's conservation behaviour, which isn't surprising given my background in ecology 🤷‍♀️ Photo of @majrundlof.bsky.social by V. Westin Sverige Nature 6/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I presented (IMO!) a sound ecological and economic argument for pollinator habitat, but only ~2% of the land I advised over (5,599 Ha, so 108 Ha) was converted. 5/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Enthused, I moved on to a NERC impact fellowship, producing bespoke pollinator management reports for farmers in my region based on scientific evidence. I ran computer simulations to model the ecological benefits and conducted basic cost-benefit analyses. 4/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

First of my (extended) family to study a higher degree, I had terrible imposter syndrome. But with excellent supervision from Juliet Osborne, I gained confidence and, perhaps as a result, LOVED my PhD. It showed in my productivity - 5 research papers from 3.5 years of study. 3/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I studied the mechanisms and management of crop pollination (squash) in partnership with the agricultural industry. I found insect pollination was worth £3,400/ Ha, and simple conservation measures promoted pollinator visitation to crop flowers. 2/11 academic.oup.com/jee/article/...

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Nearly 10 years ago, I started my journey of studying #pollinators It's been a buzz - a PhD, postdoc and assistant professorship, lived in 3 countries (8 houses), married, and had 2 kids. It sounds (and feels) like a lot, yet I'm only getting started. Here's a little of that journey: 1/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I moved to TCD. I lecture human-biodiversity interactions, #Entomology, etc. I LOVE it, but managing teams in 2 countries with 2 young kids at home is a huge challenge. I have a ginormous student loan, no magic pots of money and even with my privilege, I struggle with the elitism in Academia. 10/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I presented (IMO!) a sound ecological and economic argument for pollinator habitat, but only ~2% of the land I advised over (5,599 Ha, so 108 Ha) was converted. 5/11

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

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Jess Knapp @planbee.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Thought it was time to be brave and introduce myself! I'm a pollinator ecologist based TCD/ Lund 🐝 my group is interdisciplinary, we research how people affect pollinators (pesticides etc) and their motivations to protect them. On maternity leave with my 2nd child, back 2025! Photo V. Westin.

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