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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · 10d

Great opportunity to present @pomscheme.bsky.social collaborative research with @sangerinstitute.bsky.social at #BGEconnects. DNA-based transformation will only be possible with continued national-scale sampling, curated archives, data infrastructure and collaboration with taxonomists.

Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) @biogeneurope.bsky.social · 10d

♨️Live #BGEconnects

@clairecarvell.bsky.social and @marakat.bsky.social talked about DNAbarcoding for large-scale #insect community biomonitoring: “DNA-based species discovery can indeed transform taxonomic uncertainty from a barrier into a structured pathway for improved biodiversity intelligence.”

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) @ukceh.bsky.social · 13d

NEWS:🌾 First rice trials in the UK!

UKCEH scientists are growing cold-hardy rice on rewetted peat in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Nine varieties, four mini paddies and a big question: can rice thrive in UK conditions?

buff.ly/wYnH1DE 🧪

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Rice plants growing in water in a small paddy field plot on peatland

Drone view looking straight down on several fields with lots of square and rectangular plots visible

Scientist stands beside a rectangular paddy field plot full of water located in a field

Scientist planting rice in a field with two figures saying 1st rice trials in the UK; and 9 varieties of rice from around the world

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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · 21d

The sun is shining in South Oxfordshire, perfect weather for FIT Counts on the Ivy covering our hedgerows! Female Ivy bees busy collecting pollen, not many other insects today. FIT in 😉your last counts before the @pomscheme.bsky.social survey ends on 30 Sept 🐝

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) @ukceh.bsky.social · 22d

We're leading a review of long-term UK terrestrial & freshwater monitoring for NERC. This will help identify priorities for an adaptable & flexible UK environmental monitoring network for the future

Take part via our survey before 9am Mon 29 Sep: app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/ceh-online...

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Two scientists set up a quadrat for monitoring in a field

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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · Aug 23

Wonderful to see the sustained effort in FIT Counts coming into @pomscheme.bsky.social for 2025! Running the survey throughout the season will allow us to look at insect responses to shifts in weather patterns and flowering times, as the dataset builds. Please keep the counts coming in 👏🐝🪰🐞

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 22

We're on track for our highest ever total of FIT Counts this year 👏🎉 - a huge thank you to everyone taking part 🙏 And there's still a month to go! All counts up to the end of September will add to the data for this year and help us monitor changes in #pollinator numbers.

Chart showing the numbers of FIT Counts accumulating from April to September each year, with the line for 2025 set to reach a higher total than any previous year

Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 22

Target flowers for FIT Counts at the moment include heathers, Ivy, Buddleia & thistles, but if you don't have any of those nearby it's fine to use other flowers - see the FIT Count guides at ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts and give it a try over the bank holiday 👍

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 22

The latest PoMS e-news went out yesterday, with updates on FIT Counts in 2025; news of a new UK butterfly; research on plants for pollinators; PoMS local projects; & some great forthcoming events. If you missed it you can read it at mailchi.mp/e73193cb8054... & subscribe at ukpoms.org.uk/subscribe

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) @ukceh.bsky.social · Aug 11

The latest UK Hydrological Outlook forecasts river flows and groundwater levels for August to October.

Though recent rainfall helped ease drought pressures in some parts of the country, river flows elsewhere remain unusually low.

📽️ Hear from UKCEH hydrologist @wilsonchan.bsky.social

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 11

The theme for yesterday's #WildFlowerHour was #PollinatorPals - check the tag for some great examples of pollinators in action, from @wildflowerhour.bsky.social, and if you've enjoyed watching pollinators have a go at counting them with a PoMS FIT Count ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 8

NEW: Your PoMS Insights - if you sent in a FIT Count in 2024-25 you may have had an email from us with feedback on how your results compare to the overall totals, and to thank you for your participation - and hopefully encourage you to keep adding new counts! More info: ukpoms.org.uk/news/insights

Graphics showing examples from the new PoMS Insights emails:
- Count activity: Shows the counts you have contributed in 2025 (pink line) and 2024 (grey line). Every single count helps make our data more meaningful!
- Target flowers: Shows which target flowers you have used for your counts this year
- Insect diversity: Shows the number of insects from all your FIT Counts this year, compared to the overall averages.

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 5

Scientists from the Royal Horticultural Society have reviewed and updated the RHS "Plants for Pollinators" list, and volunteers at RHS gardens are using PoMS FIT Counts to gather further data on insects visiting flowers www.rhs.org.uk/science/arti...

RHS Scientists reveal new Plants for Pollinators

<p paraeid="{daec1255-0ffe-4986-8fec-1703aba0a51a}{94}" paraid="1969349820">The expanded 2025 list now includes over 10,000 plants, with evidence-based plant choices to benefit all kinds of pollinator...

www.rhs.org.uk

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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · Jul 30

Lovely lunchtime #FITcount on knapweed outside the office at @ukceh.bsky.social Wallingford. Good to see a brown argus butterfly land in my quadrat too! The wildflower diversity in our meadow has really held well despite the lack of rain. @pomscheme.bsky.social

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Jul 16

A great day at RHS Garden Rosemoor discovering #pollinators with RHS staff and volunteers. The rain held off for two fun #FITcount sessions, Scabious and Fennel buzzing with insects in the Cottage Garden! #BeesNeedsWeek2025

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Jul 14

Looking forward to joining colleagues at @rbgkew.bsky.social tomorrow for #BeesNeedsWeek2025 - find out about #bees & other #pollinators + have a go at a Flower-Insect Timed Count to help monitor what's happening #BeesNeedsWeek. See details on the Kew website at www.kew.org/kew-gardens/...

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Jul 3

Thanks to everyone who came to see us in the @ukceh.bsky.social stand or #Biodiversity Bimble at #Groundswell. Lots of inspiring chat on insect monitoring within regenerative farming systems, plus a #FITCount on white clover in the showground 🐝😍☀️

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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · Jun 29

Busiest ever #FITcount with 42 insects visiting this gorgeous Euphorbia seguieriana in my garden! Lovely to see so many tiny white-faced Hylaeus bees, ruby-tailed wasps and others, wasn’t sure what to do when a social wasp started preying on the small flies I had just counted @pomscheme.bsky.social

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Jun 27

Last week we held a workshop at Oxford Island Nature Reserve on the shores of Lough Neagh with @daera-ni.gov.uk staff, volunteers, placement students and the All-Ireland #Pollinator Plan team discussing all things PoMS! Species rich meadows provided a great opportunity for #FITCounts too #Insectweek

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UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Jun 23

The UK PoMS Annual Report 2024 is out now, celebrating the start of @royentsoc.bsky.social #InsectWeek!
Huge thanks to all who have contributed. Read lots more in the thread below 👇 and find the full report here ukpoms.org.uk/reports

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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · Jun 13

Another example of the photo ID feature here:

Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · Jun 13

Colours in the garden are still so vibrant in this evenings light. Watching hummingbird hawk moths visit the Linaria. Was I the only one to miss this AI feature automatically coming into smartphone photos?!

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Jun 13

The sun is shining for #FITcounts this weekend! On Sunday @pomscheme.bsky.social team enjoyed introducing families to the insect life on our community meadow, as part of The Springline Project @chilternsnl.bsky.social #MendtheGap We’d love to hear of other community events where you are 🐝☀️

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

Biological Recording Company @biologicalrecording.co.uk · May 23

Have you heard about the Field Recorder Days?

Come and join us on one of these free fun days in London this summer! We've got events focusing on Beetles, Flies, Botany and Fungi in Kingston, Southwark and Bexley.

🔗 www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/field-rec...

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) @ukceh.bsky.social · May 20

🌼🐝 On #WorldBeeDay we were delighted to host US pollinator ecologists & master gardeners to Wallingford to share experiences of citizen science monitoring

The visitors run the Great Southeast Pollinator Census across several US states—great exchange with @pomscheme.bsky.social & UKCEH colleagues!

Group of 13 outside in meadow at UKCEH Wallingford

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Reposted by Claire Carvell

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · May 20

It was a great pleasure to host the wonderful #SoutheastPollinatorCensus team on #worldbeeday! After inspiring discussions at @ukceh.bsky.social we headed to local #allotments for a glimpse into the incredible work of Nadine blending her unique horticultural and wildlife gardening skills!

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Claire Carvell @clairecarvell.bsky.social · May 20

Happy #WorldBeeDay!
Lots of great facts and links in this thread from @ukceh.bsky.social
More to come on what the @pomscheme.bsky.social team are up to today 😊🐝

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) @ukceh.bsky.social · May 20

Happy #WorldBeeDay! 🐝

Did you know the UK is home to around 270 species of #bee?

We have 24 bumblebee species, 240+ species of solitary bees and one species of honeybee.

Today highlights the importance of #bees and other pollinators for food security and #biodiversity

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