Tredegar House in Newport, National Trust Cymru are working with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to create a vital sanctuary for fast declining bumblebee species, including one of the UK’s rarest, the Shrill carder bumblebee (Bombus sylvarum).
A small bumblebee with a noticeably high-pitched buzz, the threatened species clings on in only five isolated population areas in England and Wales’, one of which is the Gwent Levels where Tredegar House is located.
Through the Natur am Byth programme, Wales’ largest-ever species recovery initiative funded by the Welsh Government and the Heritage Lottery Fund, a series of habitat enhancement projects are planned in the 90 acres of gardens & parkland at Tredegar to create flower-rich meadows that are essential to the Shrill carder’s survival.
Like many pollinators, bumblebees have suffered in recent decades due to habitat loss and fragmentation, a reduction in wildflowers and extreme weather events, with last year the worst on record for bumblebee numbers, since records began.
Chris Flynn, National Trust Cymru’s Head Gardener at Tredegar House, said: “We are pleased to be working alongside the Bumblebee Conservation Trust on this important conservation project. Bumblebees urgently need our help, and we want to ensure species such as the Shrill carder bumblebee can continue to thrive at Tredegar House. Our aim is to enhance the diversity of plants in the garden, thoughtfully extending flowering periods throughout the year to provide crucial nectar sources from early spring through to late autumn. We are carefully introducing nectar-rich grassland plants such as cowslip, crocus, snake’s head fritillary, red clover, ivy, and bird’s-foot trefoil. We hope these subtle, yet significant changes continue to support and attract bumblebees and other pollinators, while also enriching the beauty and biodiversity of our gardens for everyone to enjoy.”
Other bumblebee species set to benefit from the improvements include the scarce, Brown-banded carder bumblebee (Bombus humilis) and the more common Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum), both of which are also regular visitors to the gardens and parkland surrounding the mansion house.
To measure the impact of conservation efforts and monitor the bumblebees on site, National Trust staff and volunteers have signed up to become BeeWalkers – the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s national citizen science scheme, where a set route is followed each month to record sightings of bumblebees. The results are fed into a UK wide dataset that records the abundance of each bumblebee species seen between March and October.
Tom Bucher-Flynn, Natur am Byth! Shrill Carder Bee Project Officer, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, added: “We’re delighted to announce that National Trust Cymru and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust are teaming up at Tredegar House to deliver a series of engagement and enhancement works in the grounds to deliver benefits to local communities and one of Wales’ rarest bumblebees.
The Shrill carder bumblebee is one of England and Wales fastest declining bumblebees and it’s vital we restore some of the flower-rich grassland we’ve lost in Wales where it thrives. The conservation project is being delivered as part of the Natur am Byth programme, Wales largest ever species recovery programme made possible through Welsh government and Heritage Lottery funding.
