Page 9 - Bumblebee Conservation Trust Member Magazine Spring 2020

Photo: Braunton Burrows
Bumble Blitz with volunteers;
What’s the buzz Photo: Hillsborough site in Devon good populations throughout including below: Brown-banded carder bee
(Bombus humilis)
the discovery of two active nests!
after scrub clearance
in the West Separately, a new record of a foraging
individual was also found further north
at Woolacombe, bringing hope that the
Country? By Alex Worsley, species may be able to establish new
populations.
Management of scrub to expand areas
Conservation Officer
of flower-rich grassland within the site
where Moss carders have most recently
West Country Buzz was set up to create a Nature been recorded has also been instigated.
Recovery Network, focusing on key locations along the
North Devon Coastline. Huge strides have been made In the wider vicinity, we have worked
within the project area by Conservation Officers Cathy with landowners throughout the project
Horsely and Daisy Headley. Now both on maternity leave, area to establish pollinator friendly In 2020, the aim is to build upon the
Alex has taken over the reins and hopes to do the project management and restore species- successes of previous years with a
justice in their absence! rich grassland where appropriate. An focus on creating and restoring more
event aimed at working with farmers to areas of habitat. Already some exciting
Working alongside landowners, fellow conservation organisations and a dedicated promote the importance of grassland developments are underway!
team of volunteers, this project aims at improving habitat and connectivity for two of was organised in conjunction with
the UK’s rarest bumblebees. Visit www.bumblebeeconservation.org/west-
The Devon Wildlife Trust run Greater country-buzz/ or follow @BuzzingDevon on
Horseshoe Bat Project. Twitter.
Why North Devon coast?
Photo: Conservation Officer Cathy Our dedicated team of volunteers have
Horsley The Brown-banded carder bee (Bombus helped on many practical tasks, as well
humilis) and Moss carder bee (Bombus as helping improve data on bumblebees
muscorum) are bumblebees in decline. through setting up BeeWalk transects
Once relatively widespread within Devon, and collecting ad-hoc records. Volunteer
these two species are now restricted support is provided by the project in
to a handful of sites in the north of the the form of identification and survey
county, with records of the Moss carder training, field excursions and talks on
bee in particular, increasingly sparse. bumblebee ecology.
Both species can be found in the
environs around Braunton, the Brown- Map of the project area shown by dotted line
banded carder bee has also been found
more scarcely along the coastline of the
Hartland peninsula.

Project successes pottery is perfect for
Bee Kind
A ‘Bumble Blitz’ held at Braunton pollinator friendly
Burrows produced excellent data on the planting!
distribution of the Brown-banded carder
bee within the site. A local stronghold for Find your local stockist and discover more at
this species, the site was found to have www.woodlodge.co.uk/beekind
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