Family lineage relationships between spring queens, daughter workers and sister queens of three bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius and B. pascuorum) collected across the Hillesden Estate, Buckinghamshire, UK, between spring 2011 and spring 2012. A combination of land-use and habitat surveys, molecular genetics and spatial modelling was used to estimate the locations of wild colonies represented by greater than 1 worker and to calculate the proportions of cover represented by different habitat quality and land-use variables within four spatial scales from each colony location. Data were collected as part of a project led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, funded under the Insect Pollinators Initiative. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/6be00174-6544-4156-b1df-8678f6df2034

Geographic distances between pairs of wild bumblebee colonies across an agricultural landscape centred on the Hillesden Estate, Buckinghamshire, UK. Colony locations were estimated using the foraging locations of workers sampled in summer 2011, genotyped and grouped into full-sib families. The spatial structure of five Bombus species (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum, B. hortorum and B. ruderatus) was determined, with inter-colony distances varying from 7 to 5264 metres. Data were collected as part of a project led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, funded under the Insect Pollinators Initiative. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/8b3f4857-9809-43cb-b2aa-a988e64a5449

Microsatellite data for five species of common and declining bumblebee (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum, B. hortorum and B. ruderatus) collected across the Hillesden Estate, Buckinghamshire, UK, in summer 2011. Worker genotypes were determined from individuals sampled across an agricultural landscape and queen genotypes were reconstructed from sampled worker offspring. Data were collected as part of a project led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, funded under the Insect Pollinators Initiative. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/6a408415-0575-49c6-af69-b568e343266d

This dataset contains locations of worker bumblebees of five species (Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum, B. hortorum, B. ruderatus) across an agricultural landscape centred on the Hillesden Estate, Buckinghamshire, UK. Locations were recorded in the field using a handheld GPS unit. Workers were non-lethally DNA sampled between June and August 2011, and genetic analysis used to confirm species and assign individuals to full-sib groups (colonies). Data were collected as part of a project led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, funded under the Insect Pollinators Initiative. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/a60f52b8-0f9f-44f6-aca4-861cb461a0eb

This dataset contains data on insects observed visiting flowers of three crops (apples, field beans and oilseed rape) and responses by recorders to a questionnaire asking about their experience carrying out pollinator surveys. Data from thirteen flowering crop fields was collected by teams based at the University of Reading and the James Hutton Institute in Scotland. Data was collected by different recorders, some of whom were novice data collectors, experienced researchers or farmers and agronomists. Recorders were asked to implement three methods: pan trapping, transect walking and/or hand pollination and plant bagging. Transects involved walking a 50m transect recording floral visitors to crop flowers within a 1m squared moving observation widow next to the recorder. Pan trapping involved placing out three coloured water trap arrays along a 50m transect and then recording what flying insects were caught in the water traps at the end of the survey. Hand pollination and plant bagging involved putting mesh bags over flowers to exclude visitation by insects, hand pollinating crop flowers and counting and marking flowers with cable ties. Data were collected between April and July 2015 from sites across the UK. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/5822900b-3af4-4bb9-a2d6-0b5d384e2a3c

The dataset describes the functional effects traits derived for 57 taxonomic units (species, genus and family level classifications) of oilseed rape insect pollinators. This data provides information on both morphological and behavioural traits, typically at the species level, but also at a generic and functional group level. Data acquisition was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) under research programme NE/N018125/1 Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems (ASSIST). ASSIST is an initiative jointly supported by NERC and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Full details about this nonGeographicDataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/f09a0ada-b5c6-4dd9-9c7b-2fed23ab79b1

The number and type of pollinators in winter-sown oilseed rape fields (Brassica napus L.) in relation to local plant diversity (in crop and field margin) and landscape characteristics. Pollinators were collected using two methods (pan traps and transects). Local plant diversity was assessed using quadrats in field margins and in cropped area. The presence of hedges was also recorded. Landscape characteristics included the presence of patches of grassland of different biodiversity levels and the amount of grasslands and other semi natural habitat within a 0.5 - 3km radius circular buffer of the collection points. Data were collected over two years (2014-2015). These data were collected as part of Wessex BESS project, funded by the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability research program. This dataset can be used in conjunction with other Wessex BESS WP4 datasets. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/6128a4f7-d2ac-43c5-b492-af4c654e89b8

Data comprise flower abundance and diversity data and bee abundance, diversity and activity data collected during extensive surveys carried out on farms in Hampshire and West Sussex, southern England between 2013 and 2015. The pollen diets of wild solitary bees were quantified using direct observations and pollen load analysis. The purpose of the study was to provide valuable information to scientists, governments and land managers in designing more effective measures to conserve the broader wild bee community on agricultural land. The work was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/J016802/1 and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/a9d713e8-c8d5-4129-8db0-d771443111cf

This dataset contains arthropod species presence and abundance data, species trait data and environmental data for arable reversion sites in southern England. A chronosequence of 52 arable grassland restoration sites and five target National Nature Reserve grassland communities were sampled for arthropods in 2014. These sites were located on calcareous soils. The majority of these sites were established as part of the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA), South Wessex Downs ESA, as well as through subsequent agri-environmental schemes including Countryside Stewardship or Higher Level agri-environment. Restoration sites ranged in age (1 to 30 years), habitat quality (e.g. sward structure and floral similarity to target grasslands), management (cutting and grazing) and surrounding landscape (isolation and cover of grassland). This environmental variation was captured and is included in the data set. Arthropods were identified across a wide range of trophic groups (detrititvores, herbivores, predators and pollinators). For arthropod species identified to species, information on functional traits is derived, including body mass, dispersal ability and trophic group. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/78408af3-452f-41af-95f3-ffc13b05c232