4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313235353532 English Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en 2026-10-07T15:03:17.938Z NRW 1.0 wel utf8 NONE Monitoring the Gipsywort Weevil Datonychus arquatus on Pembrey Air Weapons Range in 2022 Monitoring the Gipsywort Weevil Datonychus arquatus on Pembrey Air Weapons Range in 2022 2023-04-01 NRW_DS125552 http://naturalresources.wales/ The Black Bog Ant Formica picea is a rare species in the UK, restricted to a small number of bog and wet heath sites in southern England, a single site in Yorkshire, and three locations in Wales: Rhossili Down, Cors Goch Llanllwch and Cors Llanerch. Rhossili Down supports the largest known population in the UK. A survey undertaken in August 2022 repeated monitoring first carried out in 1997 to assess changes in the Rhossili Down population. A total of 47 active nests were recorded along four monitoring transects, compared with 49 recorded in 1997. Although nest abundance varied between individual transects, the overall results indicate that the population has remained broadly stable over the 25-year period. The findings suggest that Rhossili Down continues to support a nationally important population of Formica picea. The Black Bog Ant Formica picea is a rare species in the UK, restricted to a small number of bog and wet heath sites in southern England, a single site in Yorkshire, and three locations in Wales: Rhossili Down, Cors Goch Llanllwch and Cors Llanerch. Rhossili Down supports the largest known population in the UK. A survey undertaken in August 2022 repeated monitoring first carried out in 1997 to assess changes in the Rhossili Down population. A total of 47 active nests were recorded along four monitoring transects, compared with 49 recorded in 1997. Although nest abundance varied between individual transects, the overall results indicate that the population has remained broadly stable over the 25-year period. The findings suggest that Rhossili Down continues to support a nationally important population of Formica picea. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en David Boyce David Boyce, Hazelcombe, 12 Battleton, Dulverton, TA22 9HT DCBoyce@hotmail.co.uk Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Habitats and biotopes GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme black bog ant Rhossili formica candida Rhossili Down SSSI NRW Thesaurus 2026-08-27 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. no limitations © CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose. Attribution statement: Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Open Government Licence English biota SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 ABERTAWE - SWANSEA -4.273008 -4.286146 51.571676 51.595853 2022-08-01 2023-08-31 Boyce, D.C. 2023. Monitoring of the black bog ant Formica picea on Rhossili Down SSSI in 2022. NRW Evidence Report No. 686. 21pp. Natural Resources Wales, Bangor. Monitoring of the Black Bog Ant Formica picea on Rhossili Down SSSI in 2022 Documents Unknown Report in pdf format Database Unknown Recorder 6 database 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 2010-12-08 This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation. false Monitoring was undertaken in August 2022 using a repeat-survey approach based on the methodology employed during the 1997 survey. Four established transects crossing areas of bog and wet heath habitat at Rhossili Down were surveyed and all active Formica picea nests encountered along the transects were recorded. Nest counts from the 2022 survey were compared with those obtained during the 1997 baseline survey to assess changes in population status and distribution over time. A total of 47 active nests were recorded across the four transects, allowing direct comparison with the 49 active nests recorded in 1997. Monitoring was undertaken in August 2022 using a repeat-survey approach based on the methodology employed during the 1997 survey. Four established transects crossing areas of bog and wet heath habitat at Rhossili Down were surveyed and all active Formica picea nests encountered along the transects were recorded. Nest counts from the 2022 survey were compared with those obtained during the 1997 baseline survey to assess changes in population status and distribution over time. A total of 47 active nests were recorded across the four transects, allowing direct comparison with the 49 active nests recorded in 1997.