New bid to rescue one of the UK’s rarest beetles

The rare Scarlet malachite beetle (Malachius aeneus), a brightly coloured insect about the size of a little fingernail, is to get a helping hand from Buglife. Wildlife experts are attempting to breed the beetles in captivity – the first time that this has been attempted in the UK. Ultimately if this is successful then the beetle can be released back into the wild, helping to secure its long-term future.

The Scarlet malachite beetle is the focus of new efforts to bolster its declining population © Chris Gibson

Ten female Scarlet malachite beetles are to be rehoused in specially designed ‘micro-habitats’. These mini-ecosystems closely replicate natural habitats such as grassland and woodland to encourage the beetles to lay their eggs, as well as containing other invertebrates which the young beetle larvae will feed on. After fears that the wet weather at the beginning of June would delay the project for a year, the beetles have now been gathered and are settling into their new accommodation. The project has been careful to select its beetles from the strongest UK population in the east of England, to ensure that there is no long-term impact on the species.

In recent years the Scarlet malachite beetle has declined significantly, to the point where today it is found on just eight sites, making it one of the UK’s most threatened species. The species was once widespread across southern England and Wales, however the loss of traditionally managed wildflower meadows to intensive agriculture and development has contributed to a massive decline for this species.The beetle is now a UK Government conservation priority, and Buglife has spent the past four years looking for clues to its decline.

According to project coordinator Andrew Whitehouse of Buglife, the plight of the Scarlet malachite beetle is similar to that of many other endangered invertebrates. ‘When species become restricted to a handful of small isolated sites they are extremely vulnerable to extinction. This new project will help to improve the odds for the Scarlet malachite beetle by breeding and then carefully releasing these wonderful little beetles back into the wild.’

Buglife is raising awareness of the beetle and other threatened invertebrates as part of National Insect Week (23rd – 29th June).

Notes to Editors:

The Scarlet malachite beetle (Malachius aeneus) has only been found on a very few sites in recent years. It is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species and is listed as Red Data Book 2 – Vulnerable.

National Insect Week is held every two years. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of insects and the need to study and conserve them – they are as Buglife Vice President Edward O Wilson said ‘the small things that run the world’. For more information about events and activities during National Insect Week go to

http://www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/

For further information on the Scarlet Malachite beetle call Andrew Whitehouse on 01733 201210. Photographs are available.

This project gratefully acknowledges the support of Natural England and the Essex Environment Trust.