This course will introduce participants to the identification and ecology of solitary bees, including nesting and foraging requirements, hosts and associated aculeate nest parasites.
The course covers identification of solitary bees, the processes involved in their identification and the key features for discrimination, plus an understanding of the importance of these species for conservation, ecology and recording.
Join like-minded people with an interest in field recording for a day identifying and surveying for ants in an informal environment at Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve. This is an urban wet woodland nature reserve surrounded by intersecting railway lines and managed by London Wildlife Trust. Naturalists of all levels (from beginner to expert) will be able to share their experiences with peers and help one another improve knowledge and build confidence in biological recording.
With the guidance of our ant expert, we will use a variety of techniques to collect ant specimens, which… Read more
There are around 270 species of bee in Britain, although many are under-recorded, under-appreciated and under-loved! Found in a range of habitats, bees have fascinating life histories and ecosystem roles.
If you’re interested in finding out more about bees but don’t feel ready for a beginner’s ID workshop, then this is the course for you. Discovering Bees is a very gentle introduction to our planets most important pollinators, introducing aspects of their biology and ecology and aims to give learners the skills and confidence to learn more about the lives and ecological… Read more
Learn To Love Ants is an introduction to to one of our planet’s most numerous insect groups, introducing aspects of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Important ecosystem engineers and highly successful social insects, ants can be found almost anywhere and they display a host of different behaviours depending on species, habitat, or caste (whether they’re queens, workers or soldiers). On this course, you will learn all about their hidden empires and their fascinating secret lives.
This course combines the use of classroom-led learning and outside learning opportunities led by… Read more
Learn To Love Ants is an introduction to to one of our planet’s most numerous insect groups, introducing aspects of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Important ecosystem engineers and highly successful social insects, ants can be found almost anywhere and they display a host of different behaviours depending on species, habitat, or caste (whether they’re queens, workers or soldiers). On this course, you will learn all about their hidden empires and their fascinating secret lives.
This course combines the use of classroom-led learning and outside learning opportunities led by… Read more
Learn To Love Ants is an introduction to to one of our planet’s most numerous insect groups, introducing aspects of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Important ecosystem engineers and highly successful social insects, ants can be found almost anywhere and they display a host of different behaviours depending on species, habitat, or caste (whether they’re queens, workers or soldiers). On this course, you will learn all about their hidden empires and their fascinating secret lives.
This course combines the use of classroom-led learning and outside learning opportunities led by… Read more
Research papers and other publications using BWARS data
BWARS is an organisation whose primary aim is to gather data on the distribution on the British and (to an extent) Irish aculeate faunas. The Society recognises that the true value of data is in its use and not its mere possession. To that end, BWARS makes its data available to researchers, conservation organisations, (both statutory and NGO) and other interested parties freely on the simple condition of due acknowledgement. The list below covers publications that have used BWARS data in their analyses,… Read more
BWARS is an organisation whose primary aim is to gather data on the distribution on the British and (to an extent) Irish aculeate faunas. The Society recognises that the true value of data is in its use and not its mere possession. To that end, BWARS makes its data available to researchers, conservation organisations, (both statutory and NGO) and other interested parties freely on the simple condition of due acknowledgement. The list below covers publications that have used BWARS data in their analyses,… Read more
BWARS AGM and Members’ Day took place on Sunday 24th October 2021 from 10:00 am
Meeting was held over Zoom
There will be the opportunity to ask short questions via the Chat function on Zoom.
Voting will take place ‘en bloc’ at the end of each section, via Zoom poll. The poll question will read: ‘On the motion before us, do you agree?’ and the options will be ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘abstain’.
The primarily tropical genus Strumigenys Smith 1860 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) are minute predators with a growing history of global introductions but rarely able to establish in temperate zones outside of heated infrastructures. The Australasian Strumigenys perplexa has been recently found in Guernsey in outdoor locations. You can read full details here Matt Hamer et al 2021
