The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) continues in 2018
The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) has been set up to gather additional evidence to inform research and conservation of the insects that provide such an important service. BWARS is supporting PoMS, which is a partnership of a wide range of conservation and research organisations.
The first way that BWARS members can help PoMS is by continuing to send in your records to BWARS via the usual routes! BWARS data forms a major strand of evidence and is being made available for further analysis as part of PoMS – many thanks.
There are two additional PoMS surveys that BWARS members and others can help with, aimed at gathering more evidence on changes in insect populations. The first survey project is to carry out a 10-minute Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count). This involves counting all the insects that visit a patch of target flowers in a ten-minute period, identifying the insects to broad group level. Counts can be made at any location where there are flowers, and whenever the weather is suitable from April to September.
A smaller group of volunteers is sought to help with the systematic surveying of random sites across England, Scotland and Wales. This involves ‘adopting’ a 1km survey square, meeting on site with a PoMS team member and visiting the square on three further occasions during summer to collect insects with water-filled pan traps. The insect samples are then sent back to the PoMS laboratories for processing.
For further details and to download the FIT Count guides and forms go to:
- PoMS website including FIT Count guidance
- Video guide to FIT Counts
- Video guide to 1km square surveys
- PoMS on Twitter: @PoMScheme
- January 2019 PoMs Newsletter
If you are interested in taking part in the 1km square surveys please email poms@ceh.ac.uk.
Specific enquiries about PoMS can be sent to: poms@ceh.ac.uk
Bombus lapidarius Photo: CEH/Martin Harvey
