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PROJECTS
Research in 2009
Funded by grants from Natural England, the People’s Trust for Endangered
Species (PTES), the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Esmee
Fairbairn Foundation, Hymettus initiated a number of new projects and
continued its support for some projects from previous years. New
projects included: |
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Crossocerus project
This project aims to establish the status of
three rare and difficult to identify solitary wasps in the genus
Crossocerus. C. palipes, C. styrius and C. walkeri
can only be accurately identified under a microscope but the presence of a
species may be able to provide useful information on habitat quality.
Extraction of data from museum collections, literature searches and
contact with individual recorders have been used to gather further data on
the distribution and biology of the wasps and field visits were undertaken
in 2009 aiming to study species ecology firsthand. Unfortunately, the poor
summer weather in both 2007 and 2008 has resulted in a disappointing
season for all sphecid wasps this year. Despite several visits to likely
sites for the three species in Hampshire, Surrey and Suffolk, no specimens
were found this summer.
Below: Macropis europaea - subject of ongoing
research by Hymettus Photo: Jeremy Early
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Ongoing
projects included:
Aculeates of East Anglian
Wetlands
Odynerus simillimus Photo: T Strudwick
A suite of six species associated
with East Anglian wetlands has been identified, all potentially in need of
further conservation action. Visits to a further eleven wetland areas in
Norfolk were undertaken from June through to September 2009. Trap nesting
is in place at one site to try and establish the prey items used by
Anoplius caviventris, Passaloecus clypealis and Rhopalum
gracile in providing for larvae. All of the target species,
Anoplius caviventris, Hylaeus pectoralis, Macropis europaea,
Odynerus simillimus, Passaloecus clypealis and Rhopalum
gracile were recorded from a number of new locations this year.
Autecology of Anthophora retusa
Photo: Andy Phillips
In May 2008 a grant was awarded by
PTES for the first year of a project to elucidate the autecology of
Anthophora retusa at Seaford. The aims of the project were to
determine the extent of the population at Seaford, make field observations
of flower visiting by male and female bees and locate nesting aggregations
which could be closely observed with the intention of removing pollen
loads from returning females in the second year of the project. The extent
of the population was found to be much greater than previously known,
extending for 2.5km along the cliff top. Bees were observed to visit
Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Ground Ivy, Houndstongue, Kidney Vetch and Thrift for
nectar. Analysis of pollen balls in 2009 confirmed that this is a
polylectic species and pollen availability does not appear to be behind
its decline.
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