Brownfield sites proven to provide valuable habitat for invertebrates

The conservation organisation Buglife has recently launched a one-stop shop for information on brownfield sites and their resident invertebrates. The Brownfield Hub is intended to help anyone – from ecologists to planners, developers to wildlife lovers – to understand the value of brownfield sites for our rare British invertebrates. 

A brownfield site is a piece of land that has been altered by human activity, but which is not currently in use. Brownfield sites offer a precious ‘mosaic’ of habitats, providing variety that is rare in the wider landscape and can support important populations of scarce invertebrates.

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Buglife questions Defra Minister's TV statements about Neonicotinoids and bees

Defra Minister David Heath on ITV

July 2013. On Thursday 18th July ITV's Tonight programme investigated the current bee and wild pollinator crisis which threatens food security. Defra Minister David Heath appeared on the programme and made a number of statements about neonicotinoid pesticides that are highly questionable.

Discounting the conclusions of over a hundred studies by independent scientists which show that neonicotinoids are an environmental risk David Heath stated "There's abundant evidence that this is a substance which is toxic in the laboratory...What we have not been able to demonstrate yet is there's any linkage between that and what you see in field conditions where you have much lower dosages than were applied in the laboratory tests".

Contradicted the opinion of the Government's own scientific advisory group

This statement contradicts the opinion of the Government's own scientific advisory group, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP). In the January 2013 meeting "Members commented that the laboratory and semi-laboratory studies reported in the literature represent sound science. The main questions raised were about whether the nature of the exposure was realistic, and information to date suggests the exposures were reasonable".

David Heath also stated that "Wouldn't you expect there to be some evidence after all of these trials, somebody to have gone on and said "What's actually happening in the field?" but they haven't".

Read on

V & A Museum to get a wildlife garden roof

The world's greatest museum of art and design gets a new roof for wildlife

March 2013. Wildlife charity Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, are due to start work on a Living Roof project at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in central London this spring.

Thanks to funding from Western Riverside Environment Fund - a partnership between Western Riverside Waste Authority and Groundwork UK, an area of the existing roof will be transformed into a wildflower meadow to provide food and shelter for wildlife including bees, butterflies and moths.

Clare Dinham, Buglife Brownfields Stepping Stones Officer said "Creating a green space on the roof of a building in central London provides insects with a lifeline of food and shelter. Pollinating insects are in decline due to habitat loss so we hope to use the Living Roof on the high profile V&A as a flagship for other buildings, encouraging more people to get involved".

In 2012, Buglife with support from the Green Roof Consultancy, produced the UK's first living roof guidance report including details on why and how to create a living roof for wildlife, after creating a number of Living Roofs across London. The V&A Living Roof will be another vital habitat stepping stone for wildlife in the city.

Range of habitats for insects
The roof will boast a wildflower meadow with nectar and pollen rich plants, areas of bare ground for invertebrates to bask and burrow as well as piles of deadwood for mini-beasts to shelter and feed upon.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/v-A-roof.html

Wildlife charity threatens legal action over bee killing pesticides

Government ignoring plight of Britain's bees

November 2012. Wildlife charity, Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is asking the UK Government to justify its decision to allow the use of bee killing pesticides or face a court case. Buglife has sent Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) a letter outlining a possible case as a preliminary to legal action. Buglife has also submitted the letter as evidence to the current House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into the impact of insecticides on bees and other insects.

Suspended in France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia
Buglife argue that the legislation is clear; governments must take a precautionary approach in regulating pesticides. As a result France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia have suspended various neonicotinoid insecticides. Meanwhile in the UK neonicotinoid use has grown to the point where they are used on 1.2 million hectares of the British countryside.

Matt Shardlow, Buglife Chief Executive Officer said "Buglife has repeatedly raised concerns about the potential that these insecticides have to damage pollinators and the service they provide to us, but every time new bee damage evidence is published Government repeats that there is not enough proof to act. We believe that Government must stop their use now because there is no proof that neonicotinoids are environmentally safe".

"If we lose, bees, hoverflies, butterflies, mayflies and earthworms then wildflowers, garden flowers and fruits will dwindle and we will all suffer. This loss could cost UK farmers an estimated £510 million annually in crop yield, with the addition of alternative pollination methods costing a further £1.8 billion each year".

For years Buglife has been concerned that pesticide regulation is unable to identify which pesticides will damage populations of wild, non-target, invertebrates. Buglife is questioning the grounds on which Defra made the decision that ‘no change in the existing regulation of neonicotinoids is required' and considers that the decision is open to challenge by way of a judicial review.

Read on:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bees-defra.html

Endangered Freshwater pearl mussel stronghold decimated

Call for public enquiry

July 2012. Wildlife charity, Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, is calling for a public inquiry into the devastating loss of Freshwater pearl mussels in Cumbria.

The largest and healthiest population of Freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) in England has been almost completely destroyed. Water levels in the outflow from Ennerdale Water Reservoir in the River Ehen fell to such low levels that the water became hot and oxygen concentrations dropped to dangerous levels. Up to 90% of the pearl mussels in the affected area were killed

Animals born when Charles Darwin was alive
Matt Shardlow, Buglife CEO said "This is devastating news. The bloated corpses of animals born when Charles Darwin was alive have been floating out of their beds and being swept into the Irish Sea."

The Freshwater pearl mussel is an endangered species protected under national and international legislation and environmental regulators have a duty to ensure that the populations are conserved. The water flow into the River Ehen is controlled by Ennerdale Water reservoir owned by United Utilities.

A public inquiry will enable a full examination of the facts, a clear and open explanation of what went wrong and recommendations for action to take that will hopefully ensure that this and other populations of pearl mussels can recover in safety and thrive again.

Read on:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/freshwater-mussell.html

New home created for one of UK’s most endangered beetles

New ‘brownfield' site created for rare beetle
June 2012. Wildlife charity, Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust and The University of East London (UEL) have created a new home for one of the UK's most endangered invertebrates - the Streaked bombardier beetle (Brachinus sclopeta). 

Only recently found in the UK
In the UK, the Streaked bombardier beetle has only recently been found on a couple of ex-industrial sites called brownfields in the Thames Gateway, London. One of these brownfield sites, had already been destroyed.

Just days before their second home was due to be destroyed, fifteen Streaked bombardier beetles were rescued in an emergency operation. The beetles have now been re-homed on a new designer brownfield site at the University of East London's Docklands Campus. 

Sarah Henshall, Buglife Brownfield Manager said "Wildlife rich brownfields are being lost at an alarming rate in the Thames Gateway, not enough is being done to protect the homes of endangered animals. Buglife and the University of East London had no choice, we had to create new habitat for the Streaked bombardier beetle on the nearby UEL Docklands Campus site".

Mock brownfield habitat
Buglife and UEL created a mock brownfield habitat using over 60 tonnes of bricks, chalk and rubble, the brick was kindly donated by Wienerberger Ltd and the other material was funded by London Pleasure Gardens. 

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/streaked-bombardier.html

Oil beetles rediscovered in Lincolnshire after 28 years

Oil beetle survey bears fruit

May 2012. For the first time in at least 28 years, an oil beetle has been seen in Lincolnshire. Wildlife charity, Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust received notification of the sighting as part of their National oil beetle hunt.

Historically, two species of oil beetle have been recorded in Lincolnshire; the Black oil beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus) and the Violet oil beetle (Meloe violaceus), although the last time a Black oil beetle was recorded in Lincolnshire was in 1984 and the Violet oil beetle has not been seen in the County since 1900.

2011 national oil beetle survey
The records generated by Buglife's 2011 national oil beetle survey and historic data, collated by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, showed that all of the four British species of oil beetle are in decline. These declines were greatest in the east of England, making the new Lincolnshire record a significant discovery.

Buglife Oil Beetle Project Officer, Anne Halpin, said: "Oil beetles have suffered in recent years from the loss of wildflower rich habitats and the decline in wild bee populations, upon which these beetles depend. Every record is valuable but we are particularly excited that oil beetles have been found in Lincolnshire as we can remove the county from our list of places where oil beetles have gone extinct."

4 species extinct in UK
Of the eight species of oil beetle recorded in the UK, half are already thought to have gone extinct. Although the Black oil beetle is one of the more widespread species, its decline in recent years is significant and work still needs to be done to protect the flower rich habitats on which this species depends.

Visit the Buglife website www.buglife.org.uk for a free identification guide, more information about these brilliant beetles and to report sightings and photographs.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/oil-beetle-lincolnshire.html

New guidance on designing roofs for bugs

Buglife today release a guidance report that will provide practical advice and inspire people to create biodiverse green roofs for wildlife.

The biodiverse roofs differ from a normal sedum green roof, as they host a variety of wildlife and are particularly good for invertebrates. 

Thanks to funding from SITA Enriching Nature Programme, Buglife in partnership with Livingroofs.org and the Green Roof Consultancy have produced the UKs first report on creating biodiverse green roofs, specifically for invertebrates. The report gives advice and guidance on how to design a roof for wildlife, including details on substrate choice and depth, which wildflowers to plant and how to create a variety of habitats such as wildflower meadows, bare ground, dead wood piles and bug hotels.

The guidance is supported by scientific studies - biodiverse green roofs have been well studied in Switzerland and the UK and the wildlife that visits them has been closely monitored and recorded over a number of years. The guidance takes into consideration the study findings and gives advice on how to transform a standard green roof into a wildlife haven.

Clare Dinham, Buglife Conservation Officer said “Most people have heard of a green roof using sedum, however these roofs are lower in wildlife value when compared to a biodiverse green roof.”

“We are trying to get people to help wild pollinators by considering biodiverse green roofs”.

“We hope that this new guidance will help architects, planners, ecologist, and the green roof industry to design and promote the use of biodiverse green roofs within new developments, as standard practice”.

Read on:  http://www.buglife.org.uk/News/New%2Bguidance%2Bon%2Bdesigning%2Broofs%2Bfor%2Bbugs