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Hymettus Ltd is the premier source of advice on the conservation of bees, wasps and ants within Great Britain and Ireland. Its high standing is based on the excellent quality of research that it chooses to fund and the efficient dissemination of the conservation and ecological information that it gathers.

Projects
Amongst research projects being planned for 2008, are a survey for the mason bee Osmia inermis in Scotland, an investigation of sex ratios in the mason bee Osmia xanthomelana in Wales and autecological studies on the flower bee Anthophora retusa in Sussex. Work on a suite of species associated with East Anglian Wetlands, begun in 2007, will continue in 2008 and the Southern Ants project will also continue, subject to obtaining sufficient funding. The number of species information leaflets available for download through this site will be increased as new leaflets are commissioned, thus providing a very useful resource for anyone needing guidance on aculeate conservation. Much of the work required to achieve this will again be supported through a generous grant awarded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Hymettus and the BAP process
Hymettus is fully engaged with the UK Biodiversity Action Plan process. Jointly with the national conservation organisations, it acts as Species Action Plan Lead Partner for the majority of the included species of aculeate hymenoptera. It is encouraging the inclusion of aculeate species in Local BAPs and is attempting to raise awareness amongst Habitat Action Plan groups of the multiple resource requirements of individual species within the broader landscape.

Formica exsecta - the Narrow Headed Ant, a subject of research undertaken during 2007

Information on Aculeates
A major part of the output of Hymettus will be the dissemination of information from past research. This will be made available, through this website and through printed leaflets, in the form of useful guidance on aculeate conservation. See the Projects page for further details.

Contact

All enquiries regarding the work of Hymettus Ltd should be directed to the co-ordinator, Paul Lee.

E-mail: paulatarachne@aol.com