UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme
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pomscheme.bsky.social
UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme
@pomscheme.bsky.social
720 followers 90 following 85 posts
A partnership working with many volunteers to gather data on insect pollinator populations in the UK. Led by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Find out more at https://ukpoms.org.uk/
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pomscheme.bsky.social
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 👍
Hoverfly visiting a thistle flower
August 22, 2025 at 6:14 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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
August 22, 2025 at 6:14 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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
Screenshots of parts of the PoMS e-newsletter, with examples of charts and images of bees on Ivy
August 22, 2025 at 2:46 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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.
August 8, 2025 at 10:34 AM
pomscheme.bsky.social
We even had a few Silver-washed Fritillaries visiting the buddleja 😊 @savebutterflies.bsky.social 3/3
July 16, 2025 at 7:08 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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
July 16, 2025 at 6:48 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
Lots of #pollinator discussion and a chance for visitors to meet some insects up close at today's @kewgardens.bsky.social event for #BeesNeedsWeek with colleagues from Defra and @uniofreading.bsky.social #BeesNeedsWeek2025
Visitors to the displays under the amazing structure of The Hive at Kew Gardens A FIT Count in progress targeting knapweed in the wild flower meadow next to The Hive
July 15, 2025 at 3:59 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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 🐝😍☀️
July 3, 2025 at 5:41 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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
June 27, 2025 at 9:01 AM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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
June 23, 2025 at 9:52 AM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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 🐝☀️
June 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
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!
May 20, 2025 at 9:06 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
Other target flowers that are widespread at the moment include White Deadnettle ukpoms.org.uk/white-dead-n... and Buttercup ukpoms.org.uk/glowing-butt... - if you're not already familiar with FIT Counts see ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts
A bumblebee feeds from a White Dead-nettle flower while an ant looks on A hoverfly feeds from a Buttercup flower
April 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
The weather is a bit mixed this weekend but #pollinator FIT Counts might be possible in sheltered, sunny spots. Here's a Green-veined White butterfly enjoying a rather wind-swept dandelion. This is a target flower for FIT Counts - read more on the PoMS blog ukpoms.org.uk/delightful-d...
April 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
The @ukceh.bsky.social PoMS team enjoyed their first FIT Counts of 2025 during the sunshine at lunchtime today! Great to be back in action again, look forward to seeing everyone's results during the coming months.
A collage of four photos: 1. A FIT Count taking place on a grassy area outside the UKCEH reception entrance, and adjacent to the reception signboard. 2. A person's hands holding the FIT Count app while watching insects of a group of flowers within a quadrat. 3. Two people watching insects during a FIT Count on a blackthorn hedge. 4. Close up of a solitary bee (Andrena flavipes) on a dandleion flower.
April 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
Our latest newsletter celebrates the new FIT Count season tomorrow (Tues 1 April), + opportunities to join the 1 km square survey, & links to some recent pollinator research (some courtesy of @jeffollerton.bsky.social). Read it here mailchi.mp/0195981bd75f... & subscribe ukpoms.org.uk/subscribe
The start of the PoMS newsletter, including text: A new pollinator monitoring season starts tomorrow! Tomorrow (1st April) is the first day of the year on which FIT Counts can be contributed to PoMS. We hope that you are all looking forward to taking part again! And if you are quick you may still be able to sign up for a pollinators webinar taking place at 12:30pm on Tuesday 1st April. This is from the Biological Recording Company, and features Planting For Pollinators (speaker to be confirmed), plus Monitoring Pollinators with FIT Counts (Dr Miranda Bane, PoMS).
March 31, 2025 at 3:23 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
We also run a more detailed 1 km square survey ukpoms.org.uk/one-km-squar.... Our fantastic volunteers are getting prepared & many squares are adopted & ready to go! Can you help us fill in the gaps where there are red squares? Contact us for more info ukpoms.org.uk/contact
Map of the UK showing the locations of the PoMS 1 km square surveys, with unadopted squares highlighted Four images from the 1 km square surveys: Field kit for 1 km square survey. Processing samples in the PoMS lab Insect samples stored for future reference Survey sites are a mix of farmed and wild landscapes
March 21, 2025 at 3:33 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
Guidance on identifying the insect groups is available in our free FIT Count app ukpoms.org.uk/fit-count-app and on the PoMS website ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts - and don't forget to send in your count results, including any zero counts (which sometimes happens at the start of the season 😢)
A series of five overlapping screenshots showing parts of the insect identification guide that is included within the FIT Count app
March 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
Once we get to 1 April, please do wait for the right weather conditions before starting your first FIT Count! Above 13°C in sunshine, or above 15°C in cloudier conditions, is best for the insects and more enjoyable for you!
Poster: weather guidance. When the sky is more than half blue, it is fine for FIT Counts if temperature is 13°C or higher. If the sky is half or more cloudy it is okay for FIT Counts if temperature is 15°C or higher. Please do not do FIT Counts in the cold or rain!
March 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
The new FIT Count season is nearly here 🎉🎆👏 From 1st April onwards, when weather is good, enjoy spending 10 minutes counting the insects that visit flowers - wherever you can find flowers, and as often as you wish, to help monitor #pollinators. Full details on our website ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts
Poster: Ten steps to carry out a FIT Count 1. A FIT Count requires 10–15 minutes to enjoy watching and counting insects! 2. Take part on any day with good weather from 1 April to 30 September. 3. "Good weather" is dry, and with temperature at least 13°C in sunny conditions, or at least 15°C when cloudy. 4. Choose just one type of flower as your target flower – use a FIT Count target flower if you can, or choose any other flower as the target. 5. Mark out a 50 × 50 cm patch containing your target. 6. Count how many individual target flowers are in your patch. 7. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and count all insects that touch (land or are already sitting) the target flowers. 8. Identify the insects into their broad groups (bumblebees, hoverflies etc.) – any that you don't recognise should be counted as "other insects". 9. Answer some simple habitat and weather questions. 10. Don't forget to send in your results via our FIT Count app or website recording form (even if your result is zero insects!). Full details on the POMS website and FIT Count app.
March 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
The latest annual report from our @naturescot.bsky.social colleagues: "Huge thanks to our many partners in delivering pollinator-friendly projects all across Scotland. Find out more in our Annual #Pollinator Report" www.nature.scot/doc/pollinat...
Photo of open landscape with wild flowers, in the foreground is a signboard: Pollinator Strategy for Scotland: Managed for wildlife Long grass and wildflowers are a haven for pollinators and other wildlife
February 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
Hi and welcome to our new followers! The most recent PoMS e-news was sent out about a month ago - if you missed it you can read it here mailchi.mp/277296856b09... and join the free mailing list here ukpoms.org.uk/subscribe
Images from the PoMS e-news: logo, chart showing number of FIT Count each year, and two photos of people carrying out FIT Counts
January 29, 2025 at 10:19 AM
pomscheme.bsky.social
The above webinar is part of the Citizen Science Showcase (22 Feb–1 Mar 2025): Free online & in-person training events, talks, & resources on community science projects across the south-west of England 🐙🐝🌿- organised by the Natural History Consortium, info at bit.ly/CitizenScien...
Poster highlighting the range of events taking place from 22 February to 1 March 2025. This event is part of the Wessex Citizen Science Local Pilot, organised by the Natural History Consortium, in partnership with Natural England, and funded by Defra’s Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) Programme.
January 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
'Messy nature' supports #pollinators & #biodiversity recovery - read more in a blog by @pomscheme.bsky.social co-ordinator Claire Carvell: ukpoms.org.uk/node/74
Start of blog text: Inspired by the many community-based initiatives dedicated to nature recovery and peoples’ wellbeing, and especially those that have been in touch with UK PoMS over the past year, I have been reflecting on activities closer to home. In a village close to PoMS HQ, the local wildlife group has been involved in a project to create a community meadow on the village green. The group put a proposal to the Parish Council in 2021 to run a three-year trial that would align closely with its obligations under the (then new) Environment Act, operating in England, to consider actions to conserve and enhance biodiversity.
January 20, 2025 at 5:57 PM
pomscheme.bsky.social
The UK #Pollinator Monitoring Scheme is pleased to join Bluesky! Follow us for information on the scheme, and on #pollinators, #plants and #insects. Looking forward to the start of the new survey season on 1 April 2025.
PoMS website screenshot, with text: Welcome to the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) Pollinating insects play a vital role in our environment, ensuring that many of our crops and wild plants are able to set seed and produce fruit. We need to know how pollinator populations are changing, and with your help we are gathering data on a wide range of flower-visiting insects. Read on to see how you can join in and help monitor the health of our pollinators, subscribe to our mailing list, and read our new annual report. The UKPoMS survey season in 2025 starts on 1 April and runs to 30 September – please read on to find out how to get involved!
January 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM