Insect species on the brink of extinction are to be released at RSPB Scotland's nature reserves in a bid to rejuvenate ailing populations in the UK.
In the spirit of the International Year of Biodiversity, RSPB Scotland and partners are reintroducing threatened species of moth and hoverfly to help them return to Scotland, as well as projects south of the border to bring back endangered species of cricket and bee.
In the past, RSPB Scotland has played a pivotal role in reintroducing threatened birds like white tailed eagles and red kites to help bolster populations that were either locally extinct or in danger of becoming so. It is hoped that these past successes can be repeated with invertebrate reintroduction projects.
Currently, the dark bordered beauty moth is only known to exist at three locations - one south of the border and two in Scotland - favouring areas of regenerating aspen trees and heathland at sites in Deeside and Strathspey. But both of these locations are very small and undesignated, offering the species no formal protection from changes to habitat or the impacts of climate change.
Together with Butterfly Conservation, RSPB will establish a captive breeding programme in an attempt to create a sustainable population of the stunning brown and golden moth. If this is successful the moths will be released next year at one of the Society's Strathspey reserves.
With the assistance of Scottish Natural Heritage, work to reintroduce the threatened pine hoverfly to RSPB's Abernethy reserve in 2011 is also well advanced. One of Britain's most endangered insects, the pine hoverfly only breeds inside the hollows of tree stumps created by fungi. Changes in forestry practices have led to a crash in the populations of the insects in recent decades.
Lloyd Austin, RSPB Scotland's head of conservation policy, said: "The 'B' in our name stands for birds - and we stand up for birds wherever we can - but our work covers all kinds of wildlife."
“No conservation organisation worth its salt concentrates on just one species and ignores all others. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and that chimes perfectly with our efforts to protect whole ecosystems on our reserves from the smallest bug to the tallest tree.
Conservation is about much more than simply stopping damaging activities to protect what is there. We have a duty to take positive action to restore species that have been lost. We have the ability to enhance and improve our existing habitats and countryside, and we are actively engaged in trying to achieve that."
He added: “We have recorded more than 13,000 different species on our 200 reserves across the UK, and only three per cent of those are birds. They are great places to engage with nature and I’m very excited that they will soon become home to some of the country’s most endangered insects."
Dr Robert Sheldon, Head of Reserves Ecology at RSPB Scotland, said: "We have a lot of experience of reintroducing threatened birds to the UK, but this is very different. Releasing invertebrates brings all kinds of new challenges as they can be very sensitive to even the slightest changes in habitat. We will need to keep a close eye on how they are faring and make sure we continue to provide the right conditions for them.
"Although these reintroductions take place on RSPB reserves, none of them would be possible without the resources, expertise and dedication of our partners including Scottish Natural Heritage and Butterfly Conservation. We are very grateful to them and it is great to be working together on some very exciting projects."
The insect reintroductions in England include projects to release field crickets to heathland in Surrey and Sussex, and to bring back short haired bumblebees in Kent.
