13 wildlife species in danger of disappearing from East Anglia

PUBLISHED: 11:13 20 May 2019 | UPDATED: 16:57 20 May 2019

Ross Bentley

Experts from the RSPB, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Buglife and the Suffolk Biodiversity Information name species they believe could become extinct from our region.

A major study published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) earlier this month warned that wildlife and habitats are declining at an "unprecedented" rate worldwide and that up to a million species of plants and animals are at risk of extinction, a greater number than ever before in human history. Many could vanish within decades, the United Nations-backed global assessment of 50 countries revealed.

But what of East Anglia, how are species faring here?

According to Martin Sanford, manager at the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service, this worrying global trend is mirrored in our region with species and habitats under threat.

Human activity

"Whether you measure it [the biodiversity in East Anglia] at the eco-system level, or the species or genetic level - the complexity of the life we have is reducing," he said.

For Mr Sanford, the problem starts with the damage human activity has caused to the worms and mites in our soil and other smaller creatures in our rivers and stream

"If we compare the soil of an ancient meadow or woodland, where you will find a vast wealth of microscopic life, with the range of life in an agricultural soil - it is tiny by comparison. That's a result of us continually spraying it with pesticides and fungicides," he continued.

Continued and video

Rare beetle found in East Anglia

The critically endangered tansy beetle has been re-discovered at Woodwalton Fen NNR in East Anglia after a 40 year absence.

Prior to this discovery there was just one known tansy beetle stronghold in the UK, a 30km stretch of the banks of the river Ouse in York.

The beetle is a green leaf beetle with a metallic sheen that is about the size of a small finger nail and with a metallic sheen. Its name derives from the tansy plant on which they often feed as both larvae and adults.

Entomologist, Dr. Peter Kirby, who discovered a small population when carrying out ditch surveys for Natural England, said: “It is not uncommon for invertebrate populations to survive at extremely low levels for many years until conditions become suitable for an expansion and that appears to be what has happened here.”

Natural England has been working closely with the Tansy Beetle Action Group (TBAG) to study how best to improve conditions for the beetle. 

Vicky Kindemba from Buglife and co-chair of TBAG said: “This is fantastic news for our amazing tansy beetle. This rare beetle now has a real chance at survival by expanding into the Fens. However, we still need to work hard to help it, and we would like everyone to get involved by ‘Adopting a Tansy Beetle’ at www.buglife.org.uk/adopt-tansy-beetle.”

Source

'Ash dieback' fungus Chalara fraxinea in UK countryside

A disease that has the potential to devastate the UK's ash tree population has been recorded for the first time in the UK's natural environment.

Chalara dieback, caused by a fungus called Chalara fraxinea, was confirmed at two sites in East Anglia.

Until now, the disease had only been recorded in a few nursery specimens.

Ash trees suffering with C. fraxinea have been found across mainland Europe, with Denmark reporting the disease has wiped out about 90% of its ash trees.

Experts say that if the disease becomes established, then it could have a similar impact on the landscape as Dutch elm disease had in the 1970s.

This outbreak resulted in the death of most mature English elm by the 1980s. Elms have recovered to some extent, but, in some cases, only through careful husbandry.

The East Anglia outbreak was confirmed by plant scientists from the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) at the Woodland Trust's Pound Farm woodland in Suffolk, and Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Lower Wood reserve, in Ashwellthorpe.

Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20079657

Migrant dragonflies and damselflies colonising southern England

Damselflies colonise East Anglia & migrant dragonflies benefit from our late summer

September 2012. Recent warm, sunny weather appears to have benefitted several migrant dragonflies and damselflies in Southern England, according to the British Dragonfly Society (BDS).

During late-August and September (2012) the BDS received sightings' reports of Lesser Emperor, Southern Migrant Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Red-veined Darter dragonflies, as well as for two unusual Emerald damselflies - the Southern and Willow Emeralds.

Lesser Emperor - First seen in UK in 1996
The Lesser Emperor, a smaller relative of the more common Emperor Dragonfly, was first discovered in the UK only as recently as 1996. Although still very rare, it has now become an annual migrant to UK shores, one which has even managed to breed successfully on occasion at sites in Cornwall and Kent. Within the last few weeks the species has been recorded in Hampshire, Kent, East Sussex and Suffolk, with egg-laying being reported from some of these sites.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/migrant-dragonflies.html

Axel The Newfoundland Sits On Roofs Of England While Owner Works

Axel the Newfoundland has become a small-town celebrity for his high-perching ways.

Ever since he was a puppy, roof thatcher Richard Haughton's dog has accompanied his owner to work, sitting on the roofs of East Anglia, UK.

"I took him from seven weeks old and he's been on every job ever since," Haughton told the Telegraph.

Axel mastered the ladder as a puppy, motivated -- like most dogs -- by the pursuit of food. "We were sitting eating a packed lunch. Axel was on one side of the scaffolding, we were up over the ridge on the other and he managed to come up the ladder," his owner told BBC. "We saw him up on the ridge -- basically he thought he was going to get some food -- and he's been up with us all the time ever since."

The 97-pound dog now balances on the narrow rooftops to vantage points as much as 40 feet off the ground, thanks to a boost up the ladder from Haughton. The diligent dog-ployee hasn't missed a day of work in five years, but he has made them better for his owner.

"He's a lovely guy to have around, such a good dog -- he keeps an eye on us, he's like a site manager," Haughton told BBC. And sometimes, clients come bearing snacks for the roof-roof roofer -- and his owner.

video:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/24/axel-the-newfoundland-roofs-england_n_1450730.html?ref=weird-news

Beautiful 'lost' insect turns up anew in UK

21 July 2010 Last updated at 20:57
By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News

A delicate, blue-hued insect has re-appeared in the UK after an interval of more than half a century.

The dainty damselfly, a smaller relative of dragonflies, was washed away from its single East Anglian pond in the severe coastal floods of 1952/3.

Now, a few individuals have been found at a site in north Kent.

Conservationists believe the insects were blown on the wind from France or Belgium where they have become more common, probably due to climate change.

They were found earlier in the summer by Gill and John Brooks, who record sightings in Kent for the British Dragonfly Society (BDS).

"It's most likely that they've come in from the continent," said Dave Smallshire, convenor of the BDS Dragonfly Conservation Group.

"The spread northwards across the continent seems to be associated with climate change.

"And it's quite likely that they've caught a lift on a southerly breeze and popped across the English Channel."

The species recently established itself again in Belgium after a long absence, and has been documented for the first time in The Netherlands. Last year, specimens were found in Jersey.

Breeding question

Damselflies are very similar to the more familiar dragonflies, but are usually a bit smaller, and weaker fliers.

When resting, they usually have their wings folded along their backs, whereas dragonflies tend to keep theirs at right-angles to the body.

There are 17 species that breed in the UK.

One, the small red-eyed damselfly, first appeared in 1999 - also thought to be a consequence of rising temperatures - and now breeds across tracts of south-east England.

Whether the dainty damselfly can form stable breeding population is not yet clear.

"What we need to do is follow up this year's observations with some more intensive survey work next year," said Dr Smallshire.

"They may be able to breed from egg through to adult in one year.

"So next year we would be looking for the exuvia - the discarded larval casing - and that would be evidence that they have bred successfully in Britain."