Moss Carder Bee (Bombus muscorum)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - hymenopteran > Bumblebee |
| Red List Status: | (Not Relevant) [(not listed)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Bombus muscorum |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | (not listed) |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Declining in England, and across Europe (Vulnerable). Still widespread & often abundant in Scotland |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Research needed into species-specific actions as not increasing as a result of interventions (either stable or declining). Intensive research needed into the genetic variability of the species - it is a poor disperser and prone to bottlenecking in less populated areas. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | As well as large areas of late flowering interconnected grassland, this species requires tall open grassland with a particular thatch structure typically now largely found in rough grass/edge of scrubby areas and banks for nesting and hibernation habitat. Typically found in cooler, damper habitats than similar B. humilis Requires recolonisation away from coastal areas to reduce its vulnerability and increase range and population size. Exact details of what 'suitable habitat' consists of requires further research Conservation should promote late summer flowering in marshlands, drainage ditches etc. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Medium-high |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Combination - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | More effort required to detect this species as it has low abundance and is difficult to separate from similar species (Bombus humilis); where both species occur it is scarcer so easily overlooked. Scope for genetics work to better understand distribution. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Conduct targeted surveys aimed at establishing its current English distribution and habitat use. Current distribution data is broadly correct but details are insufficient for targeted conservation action across the whole population (some known populations and surrounding areas could be targeted)
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 6-10 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Research into autecological factors such as nesting and foraging requirements contributing to its decline - exact habitat requirements unknown, although broadly adversely affected by habitat fragmentation and lack of late flowering grassland. Limited response to current broad-brush interventions, demonstrating that further knowledge of its requirements is essential. Evaluation of the species' climate preferences with relation to climate change, ideally across the whole European range and with reference to the various subspecies
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Trial habitat conservation interventions, based on findings of previous actions, across known population areas and in buffer areas surrounding these aimed at establishing connectivity across the wider landscape
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Habitat creation
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites:
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.