The Big-Bee project demonstrates how research-driven digitization can increase the scientific value of entomology collections. Rather than prioritizing record volume alone, we targeted imaging and data capture toward specific questions in bee ecomorphology, diet breadth, and responses to environmental change. This approach improved cross-collection comparability, enabled integration of occurrence, trait, and image data, and facilitated reproducible analyses at broader taxonomic and spatial scales. Effective components included collaborative agreement on imaging standards, sharing expertise online, and frequent communication through open office hours. Challenges included uneven institutional capacity and variable informatics infrastructure. Lessons from Big-Bee point toward a future in which entomology collections function as networked, research-ready platforms that integrate high-resolution imaging, 3D data, genomics, and environmental context. Such soft infrastructure will be essential for rapidly generating, sharing, and applying evidence needed to understand and conserve insect diversity under accelerating global change.
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