FROM BUGBYTES—AN UPDATE

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the September edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! As October knocks on the door, we’re looking ahead to “spooky season” and some of the amazing invertebrate characters who fit right in. We’ll be sharing more about what our Conservation Team have been up to, looking at some great news stories, events and opportunities. So, let’s dive in and take a look at what’s been happening in the world of bugs! Thank you for being a part of our journey! For nearly 25 years, we've been fighting for the small things that run the planet. Restoring habitats, shaping environmental policy, and delivering conservation projects across the UK - and thanks to you, our supporters, we're creating lasting change. Through our award-winning B-Lines network, working with over 750 partners, we've helped create and restore more than 610 hectares of wildflower-rich habitat - reconnecting landscapes so pollinators and other wildlife can thrive. 💪 But our work is far from over 💪 As our 25th anniversary approaches, we're setting our sights on the future. This summer, we need your help to create more wildflower habitats, restore more vital landscapes, and secure a future for invertebrates. Will you help us grow the next chapter of B-Lines? Find out more… Buglife, “Warts” and all… The past month has seen Buglife’s work with the Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) hitting the headlines. This fantastically named large green cricket is considered one of Britain’s most endangered insects; a rare species currently confined to just a six sites in England (two of which resulted from reintroductions). 🤝 Working alongside organisations including the The Royal Entomological Society, Sussex Wildlife Trust and a number of private landowners, with the support of volunteers, Buglife is planning further relocations and reintroductions as part of the latest Wart-biter Bush-cricket species recovery project work. Read the story “Spooky season” bugs! With so many to choose from, we struggled to pick just a few, but here’s just a small selection of bugs which fit right in when it comes to “spooky season” Ghost Slug (Selenochlamys ysbryda) © Liam Olds Meet the Ghost Slug (Selenochlamys ysbryda), found predominantly in Wales. The slug's white colour and nocturnal habits led to its species name ysbryda. The word ysbryd means 'ghost' in the Welsh language. Rarely seen, this slippery critter, truly is a ghost! The Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa) common name comes from its unusual defense strategy of exuding bright red fluid from its mouth when threatened. As well as providing a visual deterrent, the fluid is foul-tasting, puting birds and other would-be predators off the beetle as a lunch option. Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa) larvae © Buglife Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) © Gertjan Kamsteeg “I’m Batman!” The Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) to be precise. Instantly recognisable by the dark markings on it’s thorax (behind its head), which are often said to look like the Batman logo. Their aquatic larvae also have a spooky connection as they are sometimes known as rat-tailed maggots. Their long tail is actually a breathing tube that acts a bit like a snorkel! Burying beetles (also known as Sexton beetles) are often seen as one of the undertakers of the animal world and are often found where there are small animal corpses. They can smell a rotting animal corpse from up to a mile away! Burying beetles are known to cull their young at an early stage to ensure that the supply of food provided by the carcass is sufficient to nourish all the larvae sufficiently. Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus vespillo) © Samuel Merriman-Johnson Government report highlights Britain’s overseas invertebrates are in great peril When you think of the UK’s biodiversity, you probably think of bumblebees in meadows, spider webs in damp autumn grasslands or beetles gliding through ponds. You might not think of bright yellow woodlice covered in spines on distant Atlantic islands or tarantulas in the Caribbean! But the UK’s Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are home to over 1,000 endemic invertebrate species - those that are found nowhere else in the world and a new report by the JNCC has highlighted just how precarious these special species are. Join Buglife Programmes Manager, Jamie, in our latest blog as he explores the report's findings and what can be done to conserve and protect the fascinating species that call these islands home. Spiky Yellow Woodlouse (Pseudolaureola atlantica) © Mike Thorsen Read the blog… ✍️ Share your views ✍️ We’re currently developing two new projects in Scotland and are keen to receive feedback and comments from local communities. Take a look at both below and share your thoughts. Do you live or work in, or even visit, the Cairngorms National Park and/or Scotland’s northeast coast? Our first proposed project will rediscover and revive “ghost ponds” - historic ponds lost to infilling or neglect. There will be creation of new ponds, enhancement of existing ponds, peat pools, and wet grasslands aiming to rewet landscapes for the benefit of invertebrates, amphibians and other wildlife. Share your views and let us know what your thoughts! ✅ Please complete this short survey (<10 mins) to help us develop this new and exciting project, in partnership with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC), that will create, restore, and reconnect wetland habitats across the area. Share my views… Our second proposed project is in response to community groups trained in the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative via Guardians of Our Rivers. Many of these community groups now want to expand the scope of their activities to better understand how the river and land interact and contribute to meaningful change that will protect their local river. River Citizens will raise awareness of the importance of rivers and of how monitoring them can empower communities enabling them to be involved in meaningful action. Share your views and let us know what your thoughts! ✅ Please complete this short survey (<10 mins) and help us to refine our plans to give Scotland’s communities a voice in determining the health of their rivers. Share my views… 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 that you may be seeing at the moment; the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) © Sid Mosdell (CC BY 2.0 DEED) Did you know that there are approximately 9,000 species of wasp in the UK? Only nine of these species are social wasps, which form large nests and are the type that most people think of when you mention “wasp”; like our friend here the Common Wasp. Found throughout the UK in almost all habitats, including woodland and urban areas, they are fairly easily identified by most people; striking in their yellow and black striped outfits. At this time of year they are generally making themselves known; the workers have fulfilled their purpose; new queens and drones are emerging to start the cycle all over again. Colonies only last one year and once the new queens depart, all the other wasps in the colony die. They are fascinating insects with an incredibly interesting lifecycle and an inspiring story to tell. Head on over to our Bug Directory to find out more. Take me to the Bug Directory! If you would like to know more about wasps in general, why not visit our Wonderful Wasps web page! You can also explore the world of social wasps and hornets with wasp specialist, Tony Madgwick, via the entoLEARN online course, Social Wasps of the UK Let’s be sociable… ICYMI ~ Suddenly seeing bugs… Ever wondered what it takes to bring mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, bees and butterflies to life on screen? We asked illustrator Anina Takeff (Anina Takeff Studio) - the creative mind behind our brand new animations - to tell us about her process. Anina had barely given bugs a second thought before this project. But after weeks spent studying their wings, colours and body shapes, something shifted. On a trip to her family's lake house, she found herself surrounded by dragonflies and bees she'd never have noticed before. As she puts it: she wasn't seeing nature differently - she was finally seeing it. 💚 It's exactly the reaction we hope our work inspires! Meet Anina and discover more, in our recent guest blog, "Suddenly seeing bugs". Read the blog… Upcoming events Saturday 5 September - Saturday 31 October ~ Art at the Mill Exhibition (Banbury, Oxfordshire) Tuesday 6 October ~ Bookworms! preschool story time at Canvey Island Library (Canvey, Essex) Tuesday 6 October ~ Unwelcome Guests: How Insect Pests are Impacting Britain’s Forests with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 7 October ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey, Essex) Thursday 8 October ~ Robberflies with The Biological Recording Company (online) Thursday 13 October ~ Plug planting volunteering with Pollinators Along the Tweed (Peebles, Scotland) Wednesday 21 October ~ Fly Research and Conservation Virtual Symposium with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 21 October ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families (Canvey, Essex) Tuesday 27 October ~ Surveying for Flies with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 28 October ~ Walk the Wick! Autumn 2026 (Canvey, Essex) Courses with the Biological Recording Company Buglife is pleased to share that The Biological Recording Company will now donate 10% of the sales price of their online courses and webinars when participants sign up through our dedicated links. To make finding and accessing these easier, using our sign-up links, we have created dedicated courses pages on our website. The pre-recorded webinars, and associated content, cover a wide range of invertebrate (and non-invertebrate) topics. Why not take a look and see what you discover?! Expand my knowledge with eLearning 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? Pollinator survey uncovers three new species records across the Scottish Borders Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata) © Artur Rydzewski (CC BY 2.0) Blue Mason Bee (Osmia caerulescens) male © Claire Pumfrey Read the story… Recent site surveys have identified what appear to be three new vice-county records across Scottish Borders Council-owned sites: Rose Chafer Beetle (Cetonia aurata) – new to Roxburghshire Blue Mason Bee (Osmia caerulescens) – new to Roxburghshire Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes) – new to Berwickshire All three species were recorded on sites where Buglife has been working with Scottish Borders Council to improve habitat for pollinators, as part of a broader initiative to support invertebrate populations across the region through a funded Buglife Scotland project, Pollinators Along the Tweed. ‘Exotic’ invertebrates in the wild: welcome visitors or warning signs? From the sightings of praying mantids in Cornwall to the suspected sound of cicadas on London streets, reports of non-native invertebrates appearing across Great Britain are becoming increasingly common. These discoveries can be exciting, offering a glimpse of new species in the UK. But they also raise an important question: should we celebrate these exotic invertebrates, or be concerned about how they appeared and what impact they may have on our native wildlife? European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) © Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0) Read the story… 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 Buglife’s shop 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! The Buglife Team Join the Buglife Community Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon Website icon Buglife Logo Copyright © 2026 Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive communications electronically from Buglife. Thank you. 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