Publications

Books



·       Comont, R.F. (2019).  Ladybirds (RSPB Spotlight series). Bloomsbury Publishing, London

·       Gammans, N., Perkins, G.P., Comont, R.F. (eds) (2018) Bumblebees: an introduction.

·       Duncan, I., Comont, R.F., Creed, P., Garner, P. (eds) (2018) The Nature of the Malverns. Pisces Publications, Newbury

·       Comont, R.F. (2017).  Bumblebees (RSPB Spotlight series). Bloomsbury Publishing, London

·       Roy, H.E., Brown, M.J., Comont, R.F., Poland, R.L., Sloggett, J.J. (2013). Ladybirds (Naturalist’s Handbooks: Ecology and Identification 10). Pelagic Publications, Exeter.


Field ID Charts


·       Roy, H.E., Brown, P.M.J., Comont, R.F. & Poland, R. (2012).  Guide to the ladybird larvae of the British Isles, http://www.field-studies-council.org/publications/pubs/ladybird-larvae.aspx

·       Rosewell, J., & Comont, R.F. (2011).  Bayesian key to the adult ladybirds of Britain, http://www.ispot.org.uk/webkeys/keyintroduction.jsp?selectedKey=webkeys/ladybirds_with_melanics.1.2



Research papers 

·       Outhwaite, C.L., Cocker, L., Comont, R.F., White, H.J., Powney, G., Turvey, K., Roy, H.E., Brown, P.M.J. (accepted). A database of traits for Great Britain’s ladybird species. Scientific Data.

·       Duffus, N.E., Lewis, O.T., Grenyer, R., Comont, R.F., Fairclough, J., Goddard., D., Goulson, D., Ollerton, J., Townsend, M.C., Webb, J., Wilson, R.I., zu Ermgassen, SOSE. (2025). Leveraging Biodiversity Net Gain to address invertebrate declines in England.  Insect Conservation & Diversity, vol. 8, issue 4, pp. 485-493.  http://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12820

·       Powell, K., Oliver, T., Gonzalez-Suarez, M., Botham, M., Harrower, C., Comont, R.F., Middlebrook, I., Roy, D. (2024). Asynchrony in terrestrial insect abundance corresponds with species' traits mediating exposure and sensitivity to environmental perturbations. Ecology & Evolution 14 (2). http://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10910

·       Whitehorn, P.R., Seo, B., Comont, R.F., Rounsevell, M., & Brown, C. (2022).  The effects of climate and land use on British bumblebees: findings from a decade of citizen-science observations. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14191

·       Smith, M.T., Livingstone, M., Comont, R.F. (2021). A method for low-cost, low-impact insect tracking using retroreflective tags. Methods in Ecology & Evolution; Vol 12, issue 11, 2184-2195. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13699

·       Breeze T.D., Bailey A.P., Balcombe K.G., Brereton T., Comont R.F., Edwards M., Garratt M.P., Harvey M., Hawes C., Isaac N., Jitlal M., Jones C., Kunin W.E., Lee P., Morris R.K.A., Musgrove A., O’Connor R. S., Peyton J., Potts S.G., Roberts S.P.M., Roy D.B., Roy H.E., Tang C.Q., Vanbergen A.J. and Carvell C. (2021). Pollinator monitoring more than pays for itself.  Journal of Applied Ecology; 58 (1); 44-57. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13755

·       Siljamo P., Ashbrook K., Comont R.F., Skjøth C.A. (2020) Do atmospheric events explain the arrival of an invasive ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) in the UK?. PLoS One 15(1): e0219335. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219335

·       Falk, S., Foster, G., Comont, R.F., Conroy, J., Bostock, H., Salisbury, A., Kilby, D., Bennett, J., Smith, B. (2019). Evaluating the ability of citizen scientists to identify bumblebee (Bombus) species. PLoS One 14(6): e0218614. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218614

·       Sharma, N., Colucci-Gray, L., Siddharthan, A., Comont, R.F., van der Wal, R. (2019). Designing online species identification tools for biological recording: the impact on data quality and citizen science learning. PeerJ 6:e5965 DOI 10.7717/peerj.5965

·       Matechou, E., Comont, R.F., Freeman, S. (2018). Caste-specific demography and phenology in bumblebees: modelling BeeWalk data.  Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics, vol 23, issue 4, pp. 427-445

·       Wibowo, T.W., Siddharthan, A., Anderson, H, Robinson, A., Sharma, N., Bostock, H., Salisbury, A., Comont, R.F., van der Wal, R. (2017).  Bumblebee friendly planting recommendations with citizen science data.  In Proceedings of Citizens’ RecSys, Como, Italy, August 27, 2017 (CitRec 2017), 6 pages.  https://doi.org/10.475/123_4

·       Comont, R.F., & Ashbrook, K. (2017).  Harmonia axyridis as a flagship species: evaluating promotional approaches for citizen-science biological recording.  Biocontrol 62, pp. 309-318

·       Roy, H.E., Brown, P.M.J., Adriaens, T., Berkvens, N., Borges, I., Clusella-Trullas, S., de Clercq, P., Comont, R.F., Eschen, R., Estoup, A., Evans, E.W., Facon, B., Gardiner, M.M., Gil, A., Grez, A.A., Guillemaud, T., Haelewaters, D., Herz, A., Honek, A., Howe, A.G., Hui, C., Hutchison, W.D., Kenis, M., Koch, R.L., Kulfan, J., Lawson Handley, L., Lombaert, E., Loomans, A., Losey, J., Lukashuk, A.O., Maes, D., Magro, A., Murray, K.M., San Martin, G., Martinkova, Z., Minnaar, I., Nedved, O., Orlova-Bienkowskaja, M.J., Rabitsch, W., Ravn, H.P., Rondoni, G., Rorke, S.L., Ryndevich, S.K., Saethre, M-G., Sloggett, J.J., Soares, A.O., Stals, R., Tinsley, M.C., Vandereycken, A, van Wielink, P., Viglášová, S., Zach, P., Zakharov, I.A., Zaviezo, T., Zhao, Z. (2016).  The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: An inspiration for global collaborations on invasion biology.  Biological Invasions 18 (4), p. 997-1044.

·       Siddharthan, A., Lambin, C., Robinson, A., Sharma, N., Comont, R.F., O'Mahony, E., Mellish, C., van der Wal, R. (2016). Crowdsourcing without a crowd: Reliable online species identification using Bayesian models to minimise crowd size. ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technology 7 (4), article 45

·       Purse, B.V., Comont, R.F., Butler, A., Brown, P.M.J., Kessel, C., Roy, H.E. (2015).  Landscape and climate determine patterns of spread for all colour morphs of the alien ladybird Harmonia axyridis.  Journal of Biogeography 42 (3), p. 575-588

·       Brown, P.M.J., Comont, R.F., Roy, H.E. (2015). Wildlife reports: Ladybirds. British Wildlife, 26, p. 285-287

·       Haelewaters, D., Comont, R.F., Zhao, S.J., Pfister, D.H. (2014).  Hesperomyces virescens (Fungi, Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) attacking Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in its native range.  Chinese Science Bulletin 59 (5-6), p. 528-532

·       Comont, R.F., Purse, B.V., Phillips, W., Kunin, W.E., Hanson, M., Lewis, O.T., Harrington, R., Shortall, C.R., Roy, H.E. (2014).  Escape from parasitism by the invasive alien ladybird, Harmonia axyridis.  Insect Conservation and Diversity 7 (4), p. 334-342

·       Comont, R.F., Roy, H.E., Harrington, R., Shortall, C.R., Purse, B.V. (2014).  Ecological correlates of local extinction and colonisation in the British ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).  Biological Invasions 16 (9), p. 1805-1817

·       Comont, R.F., Roy, H.E., Lewis, O.T., Harrington, R., Shortall, C.R., Purse, B.V., (2013). Does niche overlap with Harmonia axyridis correlate with population declines in the British ladybird fauna? In: Sloggett, J.J.; Brown, P.M.J.; Roy, H.E., (eds.) Proceedings of the second meeting on “Benefits and risks of exotic biological control agents”. International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants, West Palearctic Regional Section (IOBC/WPRS). IOBC wprs Bulletin, p. 9-14

·       Brown, P.M.J., Comont, R.F., Roy, H.E. (2013). Wildlife reports: Ladybirds. British Wildlife, 24, p. 208-209

·       Comont, R.F., Roy, H.E., Lewis, O.T., Harrington, R., Shortall, C.R., Purse, B.V. (2012). Using biological traits to explain ladybird distribution patterns. Journal of Biogeography 39 (10), p. 1772-1781

·       Roy, H.E., Adriaens, T., Isaac, N.J.B., Kenis, M., Onkelinx, T., San Martin, G., Brown, P.M.J., Hautier, L., Poland, R., Roy, D.B., Comont, R., Eschen, R., Frost, R., Zindel, R., van Vlaenderen, J., Nedvěd, O., Ravn, H.P., Grégoire, J-C., de Biseau, J-C., Maes, D. (2012).  Invasive alien predator causes rapid declines of native European ladybirds.  Diversity and Distributions 18 (7) p. 717-725

·       Comont, R.F. & Willerton, C. (2012). The 13-spot ladybird, Hippodamia tredecimpunctata (Col: Coccinellidae) – a larval record from Britain. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 25 (1), p. 6

·       Roy, H.E., Brown, P.M.J., Comont, R.F., Lawson-Handley, L.J., Poland, R. (2012).  The UK Ladybird Survey: Engaging people in recording ladybirds.  Antenna 36 (3), p. 186-193

·       Brown, P.M.J., Comont, R.F., Poland, R.L, Roy, H.E. (2012). Wildlife reports: Ladybirds. British Wildlife, 23, p. 208-210

·       Evans, E.W., Comont, R.F., Rabitsch, W. (2011).  Alien arthropod predators and parasitoids: interactions with the environment.  Biocontrol 56 (4), p. 395-407

·       Comont, R.F., & Roy, H.E. (2011).  The spread of the Harlequin ladybird in Britain.  Outlooks on Pest Management 22 (4), p. 152-5.

·       Comont, R.F., Harrington, R., Lewis, O.T., Purse, B.V., Roy, H.E.  (2010). Modelling Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) interactions within the aphidophagous guild. In: Babendreier, D., Aebi, A., Kenis, M., Roy, H.E., (eds.) Proceedings of the first meeting on “Harmonia axyridis and other ladybirds”. International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants, West Palearctic Regional Section (IOBC/WPRS). IOBC wprs Bulletin 58, p. 27-28

·       Shaw, M.R., Comont, R.F., McCracken, M., Hesketh, H., Roy, H.E., Hails, R.S. (2010).  The third modern British record of Brachymeria tibialis (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), reared from Zygaena filipendulae (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae). British Journal of Entomology and Natural History, 23. 170.

·       Roy, H.E., Hesketh, H., McCracken, M., Comont, R.F., Rondoni, G., Poland, R., Stentiford, G., Hails, R.  (2010). Living with the enemy: insects and their pathogens. British Wildlife, 22. 94-100.

·       Comont, R.F., McCracken, M., Hesketh, H., Hails, R.S., Roy, H.E. (2009).  Bivoltine Blues: A second generation in the British Chalkhill Blue Polyommatus coridon (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).  British Journal of Entomology and Natural History, 22, p. 71-72


Datasets


·         UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (2022). Pan-trap survey data from the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme, 2017-2020 version 2. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.5285/2c43ba3c-d821-442c-989b-754451d72091

·         UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (2022). Flower-insect timed count data from the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme, 2017-2020 version 2. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. (Dataset) https://doi.org/10.5285/13aed7ac-334f-4bb7-b476-4f1c3da45a13

·         Richard Comont/Bumblebee Conservation Trust (2024): BeeWalk dataset 2008-23. NBN/GBIF. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/xde3qb

·         Richard Comont/Bumblebee Conservation Trust (2024): BeeWalk dataset 2008-23. figshare. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12280547.v1

·         Richard Comont/Bumblebee Conservation Trust (2019): BeeWatch dataset 2011-2015. figshare. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7970039.v2

·         Richard Comont/Bumblebee Conservation Trust (2019): Blooms for Bees dataset. figshare. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7969961.v2


Book Chapters


·       Comont, R.F. Regional Guides: Oxfordshire.   In: Roy, H.E. & Brown, P. (2018). Field guide to the ladybirds of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury, London

·       Comont, R.F. Regional Guides: Worcestershire.   In: Roy, H.E. & Brown, P. (2018). Field guide to the ladybirds of Great Britain and Ireland. Bloomsbury, London

·       Comont, R.F. Climate change effects on urban pest insects.  In: Dhang, P. (ed.) (2016). Climate change effects on urban pests. Cabi, Wallingford


Reports


·         UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (2025) The UK PoMS Annual report 2024. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Joint Nature Conservation Committee. https://ukpoms.org.uk/sites/default/files/PoMS-AR-2024-EN.pdf

·         Twiston-Davies, G., Shaw, R.F., Comont, R.F., & Becher, M.A. (2023). BEE-STEWARDv2.0 Landscape scale and extended habitats (Version 2). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8370020

·         UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (2024) The UK PoMS Annual report 2023. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Joint Nature Conservation Committee. https://ukpoms.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/PoMS-AR-2023-EN-Final.pdf

·         UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (2023) The UK PoMS Annual report 2022. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Joint Nature Conservation Committee. https://ukpoms.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/PoMS-AR-2022-EN-Final.pdf

·         Carvell, C., Harvey, M., Mitschunas, N., Beckmann,B., Isaac, N.J.B., Powney, G.D., Hatfield, J., Mancini, F., Garbutt, A., Fitos, E., Andrews, C., Gray, A., Vanbergen, A.J., Botham, M., Amy, S., Ridding, L., Freeman, S., Comont, R.F., Brereton, T., Randle, Z., Balmer, D., Musgrove, A.J., Lee, P., Edwards, M., Potts, S.G., Garratt, M.P.D., Senapathi, D., Hutchinson, L., Kunin, W.E., Jones, C.M., Lamborn, E., and Roy, H.E. (2020) Establishing a UK Pollinator Monitoring and Research Partnership (PMRP). Final report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Scottish Government, Welsh Government and JNCC: Project BE0125 (2017-19).

·       Hollingsworth P.M., O’Brien D,. Ennos R.A., Ahrends A., Ballingall K.T., Brooker R.W., Burke T., Cavers S., Dawson I.K., Elston D.A., Kerr J., Marshall D.F., Neaves L., Pakeman R.J., Trivedi C., Wall E., Wright F., Yahr R.. Bean C,. Blake D., Campbell R., Comont R.F., Finger A., Fraser K., Genney D., Hall J., Hannah A., Jehle R., Jones S., Kohn D., Llewellyn M., Lurz P., Macdonald I., McIntosh J., Mitchell R., O’Dell J., Page S., Pemberton J., Pérez-Espona S., Piertney S., Sime I., Thompson D., Ogden R., (2020). Scotland’s Biodiversity: Progress to 2020 Aichi Targets. Aichi Target 13 – Genetic Diversity Maintained – Supplementary Report 2020. Scottish Natural Heritage.

·       Carvell, C. and PMRP Partners (2020).  UK Pollinator Monitoring and Research partnership (PMRP). Progress Report October 2020 (https://ukpoms.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/PMRP%20Progress%20Report%20October%202020_final.pdf)

·       Carvell, C. and PMRP Partners (2020).  UK Pollinator Monitoring and Research partnership (PMRP). Progress Report January 2020 (https://ukpoms.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/Pollinator%20Monitoring%20and%20Research%20Partnership_Progress%20report_January%202020_final.pdf)

·       Carvell, C. and PMRP Partners (2018).  Establishing a UK Pollinator Monitoring and Research partnership (PMRP). Progress Report October 2018 (https://ukpoms.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/PMRP_progress_report_Oct_2018.pdf)

·       Carvell, C.; Isaac, N.J.B.; Jitlal, M.; Peyton, J.; Powney, G.; Roy, D.; Vanbergen, A.J. ; O'Connor, R.; Jones, C.; Kunin, W.E.; Breeze, T.; Garratt, M.P.D.; Potts, S.G.; Harvey, M.; Ansine, J.; Comont, R.F.; Lee, P.; Edwards, M.; Roberts, S.; Morris, R.; Musgrove, A.J.; Brereton, T.; Hawes, C.; Roy, H.E. (2016) Design and testing of a national pollinator and pollination monitoring framework. Wallingford, NERC/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, 62pp. (CEH Project no. C05217), http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=19259

·       Response for Nature report (2015).  http://www.rspb.org.uk/forprofessionals/policy/responsefornature/index.aspx

·       Roy, H., Beckmann, B., Comont, R.F., Hails, R., Harrington, R., Medlock, J., Purse, B., Shortall, C. (2009) Nuisance insects and climate change. Defra. (http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/local/nuisance/odour/documents/insect-nuisance0903.pdf)