Pets&Wildlife HEARD THE BUZZ?

are excited. Inland colonies are considered very rare.

The long-horned bee is one of the UK’s largest solitary bees, with a flight season from May until August. The male has exceptionally long antennae, hence the name. This species will usually nest in clusters, in loose earth exposed to the sun. Long-horned bees are especially fond of vetches and red clover, and are often recorded in woodland glades, coastal sites and occasionally heathland.

Danger and decline

The population has declined so much across Britain that it is now considered a UK Priority Species and is a Section 7 Species on the list of Species of Principal Importance in Wales. This means that we have a duty to safeguard its future. With the right management, this bee can hopefully increase and recover.

According to the organisation Buglife, the long-horned bee requires large areas of flowery habitat. It has been badly affected by the 97 percent loss of flower-rich grassland during the 20th century and is particularly vulnerable to overgrazing and poor land management. Radnorshire Wildlife Trust believes it is vital to maintain and restore the habitat of this declining bee, as we are so fortunate to have it breeding here in the county. The grassland at Gilfach has the flowerrich areas the long-horned bee needs, and Radnorshire Wildlife Trust is making sure that the habitat continues to be managed in a way that it remains suitable for the bee to thrive.

Positive steps

Conservationists are celebrating the sighting of a very rare bee in Mid Wales – a symbol of

Wildlife warriors are buzzing over the news that the longhorned bee has been spotted near Powys. The species, Eucera longicornis, is considered endangered and had previously only been recorded in coastal areas of South Wales. Now, with confirmed sightings from roadside verges in Radnorshire, Mid Wales and also at Radnorshire Wildlife Trust’s Gilfach nature reserve, conservationists

Janice Vincett, Radnorshire and Breconshire vice county bee and wasp recorder said: “These lovely little iconic animals are a symbol of hope for nature’s recovery and have shown what can turn up when you are not expecting it. It’s important we record this species, to gain a better understanding of its abundance. If you spot a long-horned bee, photograph and record it by contacting me at jayvee156@gmail.com.”

Joe Carter, Gilfach warden said: “By changing cutting regimes, roadside verges can support an abundance of wildflowers and provide much-needed habitat and food for pollinators. This is a simple solution that can be key in helping to achieve habitat connectivity and nature’s recovery. We’ve started to see positive steps by Powys County Council to work towards this.”