Learn about ants of the genus Formica, including the wood ants and the slave-maker ant.

Formica ants are a genus of medium to large ants found across the Northern Hemisphere that includes the wood ants. They are highly social insects that live in large colonies, often building mound-shaped nests from soil and plant material, and are known for their aggressive defence using formic acid, a chemical named after them. Formica ants play an important ecological role by controlling other insect populations, aerating soil, and sometimes farming aphids for honeydew, with… Read more

Tetramorium alpestre Steiner et al., 2010, a newly recognised ant species, has been added to the website. A map will follow.

https://bwars.com/node/8101

Very similar to T. caespitum in appearance and in many aspects of biology (q.v.). Forms dense populations of populous colonies very locally in favoured localities. Likely to be locally dominant and important ecologically, but it is quite unobtrusive and easily overlooked (in contrast to T. caespitum). British records only recognised as being distinct from T. caespitum in 2025. Previously T. alpestre was mainly known as a high mountain species in Central Europe (‘alpestre’ being Latin for ‘alpine’).

References

Jarman, AP and Seifert,… Read more

Dr Jane Sears (RSPB)

Delve into a partnership project to restore the nationally extinct Short-haired Bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus) to the UK and to improve the diversity and abundance of rare bumblebees in South-east England. It will explore the challenges of restoring an extinct species to its native range and the various approaches that were trialled over a 12-year period from 2008-2020. Along the way, there were some surprising results and many lessons were learnt.

Dr Jane Sears is a Senior Ecologist with the RSPB with over 30 years experience of saving some of the most… Read more

Dr Tony Madgwick gives an engaging webinar that delves into the fascinating world of social wasps, members of the family Vespidae.

At the end of the session, learners should feel more comfortable submitting records of the 10 UK species of social wasps to iRecord.

Full details here

Join Prof Dave Gouslon to hear about how the Buzz Club are investigating the effectiveness of different bee hotels for UK bees.

Delve into the mind of a bee with Lars Chittka and explore the ways in which how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom.

By The Biological Recording Company - online - free

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mind-of-a-bee-an-exploration-of-the-intelligence-of-bees-tickets-952936216877?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

Learn about the cuckoo bumblebees of the UK and recent bumblebee extinctions with Dr Nikki Gammans.

By The Biological Recording Company - online - £10

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bumblebees-of-the-uk-part-3-tickets-993873732087?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Habitats include woodland (plantation), scrub and grassland. I recce'd the site last year and found it to have a wide variety of inverts.

BWARS members welcome

Famed for its past history as the largest amateur footballing venue, there have been recent habitat interventions (green and blue) and there is a need for continued and detailed survey effort.

BWARS members welcome