Rare Species Found In Abbey View Park

Glenda Powell · June 24, 2010

A rare species of Bumblebee have been found in the area of Abbey View Park a recommendation has come forward with the object of supporting and encouraging this particular species which will bring with it other benefits I have attached some more details of this particular bee.

The bee found in the area of Abbey View Park is the Brown Banded Carder Bee Bombus Humilis its listed as nationally rare - below is what the UK biodiversity action plan says about it

Bombus Humilis is a brown carder bumblebee which makes its nest on the surface of the ground at the base of long vegetation, often under accumulated plant litter. It has most often been recorded as associated with areas of grassland supporting a large number of plant species with long corolla types notably belonging to the plant families Lamiaceae and Fabaceae. It is one of a number of bumblebee species to have undergone a drastic reducation in range and abundance, as a result of theloss of this habitat in the moder agricultural landscape, although it appears to be able to survive in less extensive areas of flower rich habitat with some bumblebee species.

At the beginning of the 20th Century this bumblebee was considered uncommon in southern England.

However, it was a widespread species, reaching Yorkshire and Lancashire in the north. By the 1970s it had disappeared from most of its norther and inland localities, although it was still widespread along much of the coast. The species has continued to decline in the eastern half of England, where it is now local and sporadic. It is still readily found along the south-western coash of England, from Dorset westwards, and on the southern coast of Walers. There are also a number of inland localities associated with the larger areas of chalk grasslands, notably the Salisbury Plain. There are no records of this species from Scotland or Northern Ireland. B.humilis is widespread in Europe.

In Great Britain this species is classified as Local.