A NEW conservation project has been launched to help protect a rare and threatened species of bumblebee found in Somerset.

Save Our Shrills (SOS): Somerset is a three-year initiative run by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which brings hope for the county’s shrill carder bumblebees (Bombus sylvarum).

Of the 24 species of bumblebee in the UK, the shrill carder bumblebee is one of the rarest, and Somerset is one of a handful of areas in the UK with remaining populations.

However, numbers of this species are perilously low. In 2025, just two shrill carder bumblebees were recorded in the county.

The project will focus on creating and reconnecting bumblebee habitat across the county, while empowering local people to play a hands-on role in saving this iconic pollinator.

Working across 21 sites covering more than 930 hectares, SOS: Somerset will restore wildflower-rich areas and connect fragmented landscapes giving the species space to recover and thrive, as well as a boost to other pollinators.

Local residents, volunteers, farmers and landowners will be supported to take part in practical conservation, survey work, and awareness-raising. Volunteers will receive training to help monitor bees and lead community activities.

Helen Temple, conservation projects manager at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded £185,495 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can create more better-connected habitat for the shrill carder bumblebee across Somerset’s towns and countryside.

“This is fantastic news for one of Somerset’s rarest species. By combining habitat restoration, citizen science, and community skills, SOS: Somerset will give this rare bumblebee a real chance of recovery and help people across the county feel part of its future.”

To find out more, or to become a volunteer on this project, visit bumblebeeconservation.org