BWARS are pleased to make the following files available as free downloads.

Pages

An updated corrections file for Else & Edwards - Handbook of the Bees of the British Isles.
Corrections updated at December 2022.

PDF icon 20221231_Bees corrections file.pdf

An updated version of Mike Edwards' key to Vespine social wasps.

Please read the accompanying note "Notes to Updated Vespine Key

PDF icon Vespine wasps key_v3_3_20220807.pdf

A crib sheet by Steven Falk to aid the identification of bumblebees with bands and red tails (i.e excluding those with unbanded black bodies and red tails) - 2021

PDF icon DistinguishingBandedRedTails.pdf

A crib sheet by Steven Falk to aid in the identification of female cuckoo bumblebees - 2021

PDF icon DistinguishingCuckooBeeFemales.pdf

This guide uses a combination of size, colour pattern and biological information to provide an identification key of 14 fairly distinctive species of solitary bees known
from Scotland. The key applies to female bees only: their male counterparts are often much harder to identify and are not discussed.  Most of the bees in the key should also be identifiable from good close-up photographs as long as their critical features are visible.

PDF icon Wild Bees of Scotland identification guide.pdf

A draft key to the British DEBS (Dryinidae, Embolemidae & Bethylidae) by Michael Archer. Michael comments "I have produced these keys via Perkins although I am grateful for the help I have received from Olmi". Note: Olmi authored the key work to Fenno-Scandian DEBS (Olmi, 1994).

PDF icon Key_to_British_DEB_species.pdf

A key to the genera of the families Dryinidae, Embolemidae and Bethylidae by Michael Archer - tested at BWARS workshops.

PDF icon Key_to_DEB_genera.pdf

A key to the British Chrysididae by Micahel Archer

PDF icon Key-British_Chrysid_Wasps.pdf

A spreadsheet containing all species concepts known to BWARS - updated 20 August 2020

File All_known_species_concepts_August_2020.xlsx

Dipterists Forum Field Week 2021 Invitation

PDF icon DF_Cornwall_invite.pdf

A list of all the species recorded by David Baldock from Farnham Heath

PDF icon Farnham Heath species list.pdf

List of British and Irish aculeate Hymenoptera, providing BWARS' currently accepted concepts (February 2020) PDF

PDF icon BWARS_species_list_iso_February_2020.pdf

The water-dropwort mining bee, Andrena ampla Warncke (Hymenoptera: Apidae), New to Britain

PDF icon Final Ampla paper BENHS.pdf

Dusky-horned Nomad Bee, Nomada bifasciata, New to Britain (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

PDF icon FinaNomadaBifasciatalPaper.pdf

A visual guide to distinguishing ‘midriffed’ white-tails and their dark forms by Steven Falk

PDF icon DistinguishingMidriffedWhiteTails.pdf

Presentation notes on Sphecodes identification by Steven Falk. Made for an identification workshop at the 2019 BWARS AGM.

PDF icon SPHECODES IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP BWARS 13 Nov 2019_SFalk.pdf

A visual guide to distinguishing white-tailed bumblebees by Steven Falk

PDF icon DistinguishingWhite-tails_SFalk.pdf

A visual guide to distinguishing Bombus vestalis and B. bohemicus by Steven Falk

PDF icon DistinguishingVestalisBohemicus_SFalk.pdf

A visual guide to distinguishing male cuckoo bumblebees by Steven Falk

PDF icon DistinguishingMaleCuckooBees_SFalk.pdf

A visual guide to distinguishing carder bumblebees by Steven Falk

PDF icon DistinguishingCarderBeesArrows_SFalk.pdf

Pages