FROM BUGLIFE — IT’S THE SMALL THINGS THAT MATTER — LOOK AFTER THEM

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the February edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! February may be the shortest month of the year, but that hasn’t stopped it being cram-packed with lots of invertebrate stories and action. 2026 has started with a bang and the Buglife team have been busy. There’s a lot going on, so let’s buzz on over and take a look, before the month scuttles away from us! World Wetlands Day 2026 Monday 2 February saw us celebrating World Wetlands Day. Each year World Wetlands Day has a different focus, this year's focus was cultural heritage, and we shared a delightful pair of blogs from Buglife Cymru and Scotland team members. Did you miss them? Now’s your chance to rectify that. So, go and grab a cuppa and join us as we discover the world of Welsh River Goddess, Aerfen, and answer the Kelpie’s call. 📝 Buglife Cymru Natur am Byth Scarce Yellow Sally Conservation Officer, Sarah, explored the relationship between Welsh Goddess Aerfen and the River Dee in the first of our blogs “My family and other rivers”. Aerfen, like ancient gods in general, was a part of the community but with superhuman strength and superhuman wild emotions. Capable of both great harm and great good. Let Sarah introduce you to Aerfen and her fierce and gentle ways. Upper River Dee, North Wales © Catherine Poh Huay Tan (CC BY 2.0, via Flickr) Read the Blog This blog is also available to read in Welsh, “Fy nheulu ac afonydd eraill” if you would prefer. Darllenwch y blog 📝 Buglife Scotland Guardians of Our Rivers: Next Steps Conservation Officer, Caroline, shared tales from Scottish folklore of the Kelpies, in her blog “Protecting our rivers: answering the Kelpies’ call”. Reinterpreting the message of the terrifying water spirits haunt the rivers, burns and lochs of Scotland, and turning it into a message of hope. Have we piqued your interest? Have a read to find out more. Kelpie at Splash © Safar Fiertze (CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr) Kelpie at Splash © Safar Fiertze (CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr) Read the Blog A defining day for Thurrock’s struggling wildlife This week we’ve seen a mixed outcome for Thurrock’s nationally important, but under fire, wildlife. While Thurrock Council’s planning committee refused permission for an application that would see the special flower-rich sand terraces of Buckingham Hill Pit Local Wildlife Site buried, it sadly granted permission for an expansion to the sprawling Port of Tilbury. With plans for Tilbury 3 set to pave over the unique ashfields of Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA), which are part of the West Tilbury Marshes Local Wildlife Site it calls into question the long-term future of Thurrock’s renowned invertebrate populations. Despite its small size, Thurrock is home to nationally important populations of invertebrates and other scarce wildlife, making it a vital landscape within the Thames Estuary. However, Thurrock has suffered from enormous pressure from development, including previous port expansion for Tilbury 2 and the now green lit Lower Thames Crossing. 🤝 We will continue to work with partner organisations, including Essex Wildlife Trust and local community groups, such as Essex Field Club, to take action to secure a future for Thurrock's remaining wildlife site network and call for urgently needed protection and strategic planning. Neville's Farm, Thurrock © Jamie Robins When a site is under threat from development, or wildlife is in the firing line from a new Government policy, your voice can make a difference. Because politicians and other decision makers are more likely to listen when they see that this is an issue lots of us are passionate about. Your support has helped to ensure the future of sites such as Canvey Wick, dubbed ‘England’s rainforest’ on account of its incredible variety of bugs, including a bumblebee which has almost disappeared from the rest of the UK. You have also helped us to achieve a ban on Synthetic Pyrethroids, a hugely toxic sheep-dip that has been responsible for the severe pollution of miles of our rivers. Find out more about some of our ongoing saving sites work, and campaigns Take me to the action… Browse our Bug Directory Did you know that we have almost 200 invertebrate species profiles on our website, and counting? Let’s meet one of the species! Northern February Red (Brachytera putata) © Gus Jones This month we’re taking a look at the aptly named Northern February Red (Brachytera putata), a small, native, endemic stonefly. This beautiful bug has its global stronghold in the Scottish Highlands and has only ever been recorded in two rivers outside Scotland – the River Usk in Wales and the River Wye in Hereford, where it was last recorded prior to 1990 and is now thought to be extinct. The adults can be seen emerging on riverbanks in sunshine, from February to April, and are often encountered as they bask in the sun on fenceposts alongside the river. Have you ever seen what you think might be a Northern February Red whilst out walking? If you have a photo of it, no matter how long ago it was taken, we’d love it if you could share it with us and join the Hunt for the Northern February Red! ℹ️ Good to know: The adult Northern February Red drums to find a mate; the male will drum its abdomen on the vegetation or trees/fenceposts and the female will reply. Doing this until they find each other; they will then mate. For more information about this fascinating insect visit our Bug Directory. Here, you will also find details on how to join “the hunt” and, who knows, you might help us discover new populations! Join the hunt Which bug would you like to see added to the directory next, there's plenty to choose from! Vote for Buglife (again!)! No, you’re not seeing things, we are asking you to vote for us once again! We're delighted to share that "Coal Spoil Connections ~ the legacy" was selected as a finalist in its category at the Charity Film Awards. ❓What does that mean? A second round of voting is now open and the most voted for film (combined votes from both the first and second round) will win the People’s Choice Award! Wouldn't it be a fantastic end to the Buglife Cymru Coal Spoil Connections project to win at the Smiley Charity Film Awards? ✅ So, head on over. Check out the film and, even if you have voted previously, make sure you click that Vote button as every vote counts! Vote for Buglife Voting open for eight weeks so get clicking and share with family/friends! Upcoming events Wednesday 4 March ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 5 March ~ Antarctic Invertebrates: Diversity and Threats with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 10 March ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 11 March ~ Walk the Wick! Spring 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 12 March ~ Changes in the UK Stag Beetle Population with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 17 March ~ Supporting pollinators and other invertebrates on farms (Malmesbury, Wiltshire) Tuesday 17 March ~ Invertebrate Study Day with the Biological Recording Company (Natural History Museum, London) Wednesday 18 March ~ Biodiversity Net Gain Virtual Symposium 2026 with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 18 March ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey Wick, Essex) Wednesday 18 March ~ Supporting pollinators and other invertebrates on farms with The North East Cotswold Farm Cluster CIC (Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire) Saturday 21 March ~ Meadow Management & BBQ with Life on the Edge (Chivelstone, Devon) Tuesday 24 March ~ Beetle Field Recorder Day with The Biological Recording Company (Lesnes Abbey Lodge, London) Wednesday 25 March ~ Bee-flies with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 25 March ~ Walk the Wick! Spring 2026 (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 26 March ~ Terrestrial Invertebrates for Beginners with The Biological Recording Company (Golders Green Quaker Meeting House, London) Friday 27 March ~ Earthworm Sampling Day with The Biological Recording Company (Ealing, London) Please do remember that our website Events Page is being updated all the time so, to keep up to date with both current and future Buglife events, as well as events from partners and supporters, be sure to visit regularly. What’s the buzz? Love Your Pet, Not Pesticides: New Report Warns of Flea and Tick Treatment Threat to Rivers A new report from wildlife charity Buglife, published on National Love Your Pet Day (20 February), reveals that pesticides from common flea and tick treatments are now widespread in rivers across Britain. Buglife’s desk-based review found both pesticides pose significant risks to aquatic invertebrates, disrupting food webs and ecosystem functions, with knock-on effects for fish and birds. In 2022, fipronil was the highest-ranked organic contaminant in English ground and surface waters, and in 2023, imidacloprid posed the greatest risk across the Greater London catchment. Report front cover: The effects of veterinary tick and flea treatments on freshwater invertebrates and ecosystems Report front cover: The effects of veterinary tick and flea treatments on freshwater invertebrates and ecosystems Read the story… A buzz of hope: will you help Sussex’s amazing pollinators? Small Scabious Mining Bee (Andrena marginata) © Liam Olds Small Scabious Mining Bee (Andrena marginata) © Liam Olds Read the story… Conservation charity Buglife is calling on everyone – from balcony gardeners to landowners – to manage green spaces for pollinators, celebrate these pollinator-friendly spaces and add their habitat to the B-Lines map. In the face of growing threats to wildlife from habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change and chemicals, Buglife is calling on people across the UK to do their bit by creating pollinator-friendly habitats and adding these to the local B-Lines network. Every piece of land can help, no matter the size – from balcony herb garden or sprawling meadows. For all our latest news please visit our website News Pages. Buglife shop The Buglife Shop is open for all your invertebrate needs, offering more ethical options and ways for you to support bugs. Whether you’re looking for clothing, insurance, home accessories or gifts for a loved one; there’s something for everyone! a packet of native wildflower seeds Nurture the Night Shift Jute Bag Visit the Buglife shop Shop News: 🎉 Before Christmas we were delighted to launch our Bug E-Adoptions and they went down a storm! Available to purchase for yourself or as a gift to the bug enthusiast in your life, from just £15. 🖍️ Each virtual adoption pack includes a downloadable certificate, featuring original artwork by the amazing Alexandre Marrigues of Nera Studio, and a factsheet on your adopted species. Check out our cheeky little Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus)! 🕷️ Did you know? Zebra Jumping Spider males undertake elaborate dances to woo their chosen female. Waving their front legs and pedipalps (which are two leg-like appendages near their mouthparts) at the female and bobbing their abdomen up and down. Want to know more? Head on over to our shop to adopt one today! Adopt a Bug 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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