The NBN are running a short project seeking to classify recorder motivations, and understand what support different recorders prefer. They're using both questionnaires and interviews, and need as wide a range of responses as possible to cover the diversity of circumstances and perspectives. If you collect data from the environment and would like to be included, further details are here:
http://www.nbn.org.uk/News/Latest-news/Recorder-motivation-internship-we-re-… Read more
A significant leap north west for Colletes hederae is apparent, with the discovery of a well established population around Llandudno in North Wales, on 8 October. A large nest aggregation was found on Little Orme as well as individuals at ivy and nesting in a roadside verge in nearby Llandudno. The latest map includes these new records.
Latest Map
This note from John vanBreda relates to an issue whereby a single image of a Bombus (see screengrab below) was displaying in the species gallery outside the taxonomic hierarchy:
That had me confused for a while as well. Here’s how I found it. If you click on Content management > Taxonomy > List, this shows you the “taxonomies” that are loaded into Drupal. These are taxonomies in the linguistic sense not biological – i.e. hierarchies of terms, but in our case we of course use one to drive the hierarchy of the Species gallery tool.
Click on “list terms… Read more
As well as workshops at the upcoming BWARS AGM, two other opportunities to learn how to identify aculeates are listed in the BWARS Diary here
Join Adrian Knowles, bee & wasp expert on this fascinating day. Adrian is the Suffolk county recorder for bees, wasps & ants.
There are some 200 species of wild bees in the UK, called solitary bees because they make individual nest cells for their larvae. Some species nest in tunnels or holes in the ground, sandy banks and crumbling mortar while others use the hollow stems of dead plants such as bramble. They are harmless and do not sting or swarm so are safe to have in the garden and are very important pollinators.
Solitary wasps are also very beneficial in the… Read more
2015 AGM - Oxford University Natural History Museum, Saturday & Sunday 17 - 18 October
The provisional programme of workshops and talks is available for download here
The 2015 BWARS AGM with workshops and talks will be held at Oxford University Museum of Natural History
As usual there has been a steady stream of requests for identifications of aculeates, often from photographs. Helping new people to understand how to name the insects in this group, what to look for, whether the insect even is an aculeate, is an important part of the support BWARS offers. Much of this support is through the workshops held at various venues around the country.
On Saturday, 28th November a Beginners' Workshop will be held at the National Museum of Wales, led by Mark Pavett and Mike Edwards. Topics to be covered will include a general introduction to the group, what… Read more