The status and distribution of the shrill carder bee Bombus sylvarum in the Kenfig National Nature Reserve (NNR) - Port Talbot (2013).
The shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) was once relatively widespread across southern England and lowland Wales, favouring flower-rich habitats such as sand dunes, grasslands, and heathlands. However, the species has undergone a significant decline in recent decades.
The primary aim of this survey was to provide an up-to-date assessment of the species' status, with particular emphasis on determining the limits of its current distribution. This was achieved through revisiting sites with historical records and surveying flower-rich dunes, grasslands, and other suitable habitats.
Surveys were undertaken in the Kenfig-Port Talbot area of Glamorgan between late July and early September 2013.
This dataset provides an up-to-date account of the distribution of the shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) at sites across South Wales. It comprises records of shrill carder bee sightings together with the results of accompanying botanical surveys. The botanical surveys focused particularly on plant species associated with the foraging behaviour of shrill carder bees.
A total of 17 bumblebee species, including the shrill carder bee, were recorded during the survey. In total, 936 observations representing 2,122 individual bumblebees were recorded.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS115773
- Alternative Title
-
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
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Within each survey area, a "look and see" approach was adopted to provide a flexible and efficient means of identifying foraging and nesting areas. Where such areas were located, timed counts were undertaken.
All shrill carder bees were recorded as centroid points using GPS and/or by marking locations on aerial imagery. In addition, all forage plants were noted, and a species list was compiled for vegetation occurring within a 3 m radius of each centroid point using the DAFOR scale. Habitats were also classified, where appropriate, according to Phase 1 habitat categories or National Vegetation Classification (NVC) communities.
All other Bombus species observed alongside shrill carder bees were recorded, and a photographic record was made of key features at each site.
A total of 88.69 hours was spent undertaking dedicated fieldwork, during which the prescribed survey methods were applied. In addition, a further 14.85 hours of casual observations were undertaken in areas containing potential habitat, giving a total survey effort of 103.54 hours.
The data collected as part of this survey were also supplied to the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre (SEWBReC).
Surveys of the coastal plain and inland lowland areas of central Glamorgan were carried out between late July and early September 2013, when worker and male shrill carder bees were expected to be most abundant. Twelve days of fieldwork were completed under generally fair to good weather conditions.
Survey effort focused on known sites, including Kenfig National Nature Reserve (NNR) (including Sker Point and Sker Farm), Margam Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Margam Burrows, Parc Slip Nature Reserve, and Maesteg Golf Course. Equal emphasis was also placed on extending survey coverage into previously unsurveyed areas, and a range of sites supporting potentially suitable habitat was systematically surveyed.
- Additional Information
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Evidence Report: No 023 The status and distribution of the shrill carder bee Bombus sylvarum in the Kenfig - Port Talbot area in 2013 Stewart, B., Roberts, P.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2014-03-31
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 2013-08-01
- End date
- 2013-09-07
- Topic category
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- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- RHONDDA CYNON TAF - RHONDDA CYNON TAFF
- Geographic Extent
- BRO MORGANNWG - THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN
- Geographic Extent
- PEN-Y-BONT AR OGWR - BRIDGEND
- Geographic Extent
- CASTELL-NEDD PORT TALBOT - NEATH PORT TALBOT
))
Distribution
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
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Documents
(
Unknown
)
- Specification
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Final report in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats
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Database
(
Unknown
)
- Specification
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Species records to be added to the NRW Recorder 6 database
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Documents
(
Unknown
)
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Conformity
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
- Explanation
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This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
- Degree
- false
- Lineage
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Within each survey area, a "look and see" approach was adopted to provide a flexible and efficient means of identifying foraging and nesting areas. Where such areas were located, timed counts were undertaken.
All shrill carder bees were recorded as centroid points using GPS and/or by marking locations on aerial imagery. In addition, all forage plants were noted, and a species list was compiled for vegetation occurring within a 3 m radius of each centroid point using the DAFOR scale. Habitats were also classified, where appropriate, according to Phase 1 habitat categories or National Vegetation Classification (NVC) communities.
All other Bombus species observed alongside shrill carder bees were recorded, and a photographic record was made of key features at each site.
A total of 88.69 hours was spent undertaking dedicated fieldwork, during which the prescribed survey methods were applied. In addition, a further 14.85 hours of casual observations were undertaken in areas containing potential habitat, giving a total survey effort of 103.54 hours.
The data collected as part of this survey were also supplied to the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre (SEWBReC).
Surveys of the coastal plain and inland lowland areas of central Glamorgan were carried out between late July and early September 2013, when worker and male shrill carder bees were expected to be most abundant. Twelve days of fieldwork were completed under generally fair to good weather conditions.
Survey effort focused on known sites, including Kenfig National Nature Reserve (NNR) (including Sker Point and Sker Farm), Margam Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Margam Burrows, Parc Slip Nature Reserve, and Maesteg Golf Course. Equal emphasis was also placed on extending survey coverage into previously unsurveyed areas, and a range of sites supporting potentially suitable habitat was systematically surveyed.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
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NRW Thesaurus
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- Margam Burrows
- bombus
- bombus sylvarum
- bumblebees
- Margam Moors SSSI
- Kenfig Dunes
- shrill carder bee
- Maesteg
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2026-08-27
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
- NRW Related Title
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The status and distribution of the shrill carder bee Bombus sylvarum in the Kenfig - Port Talbot area in 2013
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
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There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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© CNC/NRW, 2014. There are no use restrictions on this data. Recipients may re-use, reproduce, disseminate this data free of charge in any format or medium, provided they do so accurately, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright, and do not use it in a misleading context. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose, that dissemination or publishing does not result in duplication, and that it is fairly interpreted. Advice on interpretation should be sought where required. To avoid re-using old data, users should periodically obtain the latest version from the original source.
Attribution Statement
- Other constraints
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Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved.
Licence
- Other constraints
- Open Government Licence
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313135373733 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Parent Identifier
-
Welsh Invertebrate Database (WID)
NRW_DS23774
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2026-10-01T14:30:26.334Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
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1.0