Dear John
Welcome to the October edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! Keeping you up to date with invertebrate news, interesting snippets of information and so much more.
There's a lot happening in the world in general, the world of Buglife and also in the world of invertebrates.
We've been celebrating craneflies, beetles and spiders this month across our socials and through various events - did you join us?
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Last opportunity to support the #GoPesticideFree campaign
Earlier this year the UK Government was called upon to ban the use of pesticides in publicly run areas of our villages, towns and cities.
As part of the Pesticide Collaboration, Buglife is supporting their campaign calling on the UK Government to ban the use of pesticides in places such as playgrounds, streets and parks.
Many Councils are already going pesticide free but they need resources and support.
France, Denmark and Luxembourg have already banned the use of pesticides in urban areas, which proves that it is perfectly possible to manage urban spaces with non-chemical alternatives.
Here in the UK, many councils are also proving that, despite budget restrictions, going pesticide-free is achievable. With support from the UK government we can build on their efforts and take the pesticide-free movement nationwide.
Useful to know: The Pesticide Collaboration brings together over 90 health and environmental organisations, academics, trade unions and many others, working under a shared vision to urgently reduce pesticide-related harms in the UK. This campaign also builds on the work of more than 100 local authorities across the UK that have already significantly reduced or eliminated their use of pesticides.
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Manifesto for Bugs Victory: A permanent INNS Inspectorate.
We were pleased to learn earlier this month that the Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) Inspectorate is no longer a pilot project!
This is a significant milestone for the environment as the inspectorate has a vital role in increasing biosecurity and preventing INNS from establishing in the UK.
A permanent INNS Inspectorate has been a long-term ask from Buglife and the Wildlife and Countryside Link INNS Group.
As more information becomes available we'll be sure to share it with you, so stay tuned and watch this space!
Scotland Loves Nature...
Scotland’s nature is in trouble.
We want to see our seas and rivers teeming with life, our native woodlands regenerating, our fields buzzing with pollinators – and much more.
Nature needs to be funded properly in order to recover, but this year the Scottish government cut £5 million from its nature restoration fund.
Sign the #ScotlandLovesNature petition telling finance secretary Shona Robison not to cut funding for nature in the upcoming Scottish budget.
Sign the petition...
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Bats vs Beetles...
On Tuesday 29 October, from 18:00-19:30, Buglife join forces with Bat Conservation Trust for an epic battle: Bats vs Beetles.
For many it will be difficult to choose a side; will you join us and support Team Beetle?
Over the last couple of weeks we've been sharing some of our favourites for Team Beetle and from the wider beetle family across our socials. There are so many to choose from, but for now let us introduce you to the Brush-horned Sand Beetle (Orthocerus clavicornis); just look at those fancy antennae!
Brush-horned Sand Beetle (Orthocerus clavicornis) © Filip Trnka
A UK native this small fuzzy black beetle belongs to the ironclad beetle family, but relatively little is known about the species and there a lots of gaps in our knowledge.
The Brush-horned Sand Beetle is primarily a coastal dweller, although there are a cluster of inland Breckland records. It's a fairly widespread species, but highly localised around the coast of the UK on coastal dunes and occasional sand pits.
The Brush-horned Sand Beetle is strongly associated with dog lichens (Peltigera spp.), with a particular preference for P. canina
#ICYMI ~ Surveying the Horehound Long-horn Moth...
We're lucky to be supported by a host fantastic people in a variety of ways, one of those ways is via guest blogs.
Our latest guest blog was written by Radoslav Valkov, member of the Flemish Entomological Society and the editorial team of their journal, Phegea.
Join Radoslav as he presents his reflections on the importance of habitat preservation and draws our attention to rare species, using his old and ecologically valuable garden in Bulgaria as a survey site for the Horehound Long-horn Moth (Nemophora fasciella).
#ICYMI ~ Insect Migration...
October saw us celebrating World Migratory Bird Day, which this year focused on the importance of insects to migratory birds, and was highlighting concerns related to decreasing populations of insects.
Following on from this Buglife Cymru Natur am Byth Scarce Yellow Sally Conservation Officer, Sarah, has written a short two part blog series on insect migration. Join her as she explores which insects migrate (some of the answers may surprise you), looks at insect "flyways" and what can be done to help and support these marvellous mini-migrants, in the first instalment.
Insect migration over the Pyrenees © Will Hawkes
Upcoming Events
Tuesday 29 October ~ Bats vs Beetles with Buglife and the Bat Conservation Trust (online)
Tuesday 29 October ~ Earthworm Sampling Day with The Biological Recording Company (University of Greenwich, London)
Tuesday 29 October ~ Bats vs Beetles: Family Fun at Canvey Wick (Canvey Wick, Essex)
Tuesday 29 October ~ Fungi Fun at Parc Cwm Darren with Coal Spoil Connections (Caerphilly, Wales)
Wednesday 30 October ~ Damselflies of the UK Part 2 with The Biological Recording Company (Online)
Thursday 31 October ~ Earthworm Identification with Microscopes with The Biological Recording Company (Online)
Friday 1 November ~ Make a Home for Bees with Kernow Wyls (Redruth, Cornwall)
Wednesday 13 November ~ Walk the Wick! (Canvey Wick, Essex)
Monday 25 November ~ Glowing, Glowing, Gone? The Plight of the Glow-worm in Essex with The Biological Recording Company (Online)
Wednesday 27 November ~ Walk the Wick! (Canvey Wick, Essex)
Wednesday 27 November ~ Invertebrate Study Day with The Biological Recording Company (Natural History Museum, London)
Keep up to date with both current and future Buglife events, as well as events from partners and supporters by visiting the Events Page on our website. |
News in BriefNew project gives Scotland’s rivers £1.8 million boost An ambitious new conservation project that will create and restore river woodlands across Scotland is now underway, thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Riverwoods Blueprint Project is being led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, alongside partners Fisheries Management Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland, Tweed Forum, Kyle of Sutherland Rivers Trust and Spey Catchment Initiative and Buglife.
Find out more... Conservation charities call on Secretary of State to save MoD wildlife haven Wildlife charities have written to the Secretary of State for Defence, John Healy, calling on him to step in and save a nationally important wildlife site in Essex. The Middlewick Ranges in Colchester has been put up for sale, with the land earmarked for up to 1,000 houses to be built- despite it being one of Essex’s largest remaining acid grassland habitats. Wildlife experts say that the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) actions would be at odds with its biodiversity commitments and the sustainable development commitments of the Government.
Find out more..
Open Letter to Defra: The Cost of Herbal Leys Over 30 eNGOs, businesses, individuals and organisations led by Pasture for Life, have sent a letter to Defra Director General for Strategy and Water David Hill and Farming and Countryside Programme Director Janet Hughes, urging a review of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) action for Herbal Leys (CSAM3). The coalition celebrate the potential benefits of herbal leys to livestock production and health, soil health and biodiversity, and nutrient efficiency, but we have concerns about CSAM3.
Citizen scientists across the UK buzzed into action for Bugs Matter this summer
The end of summer saw the conclusion of this year’s national insect survey, Bugs Matter, on 30 September. Bugs Matter is one of the UK’s few long-term citizen science surveys of flying insect abundance, generating critically important data. This year saw greater participation than ever before, with a total of 8,850 journeys made, covering over 250,000 miles. Lots more people joined in the survey too – 188 new participants joined the effort to provide crucial data on flying insect numbers. |
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Buglife ShopThe Buglife shop is open for all your invertebrate needs, offering more ethical options and ways to support bugs. Check out our new designs and show your support of our Nurture the Night Shift and Curtains for Light Pollution campaigns! Why not make the most of next weekend's FREE UK shipping offer in our Teemill storefrom Friday 1 November, ending midnight Sunday 3 November? So whether you've got Ants in your Pants or your Going At a Snails Pace" by visiting our shop you'll help bugs in the process!
And Finally... Don't forget you can stay up to date with the work of the Buglife team via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube !
Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work; together we can save the small things that run the planet! |
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