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Teesside Stepping Stones for Wildlife Project

Introducing an exciting, new project called ‘Teesside Stepping Stones for Wildlife’ which aims to aid the conservation of invertebrates on brownfield habitats in Teesside.

In 2010 Buglife began work on an exciting new brownfield project based in the Teesside area of North East England. This three year project forms part of the wider National Brownfield Stepping Stones for Wildlife Project, looking at brownfields and the rare invertebrates associated with these habitats across the UK.

Example brownfield site in Teesside
An example brownfield site in Teesside © Claire Dinham

In a similar vein to Buglife’s existing project in South Essex, the Teesside Brownfield Stepping Stones for Wildlife Project will carry out baseline invertebrate survey work on sites within the Tees Valley. The results of these surveys will be used to inform habitat enhancement and habitat creation works on important brownfield habitats in order to conserve vulnerable invertebrate populations.

Buglife is working in partnership with INCA (Industry Nature Conservation Association) and the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust to deliver this three year project; which is funded by The SITA Trust Enriching Nature Programme.

SITA logo
The Wildlife Trust
INCA logo

Project Update (Spring 2011)

The baseline invertebrate survey results carried out in 2010 revealed numerous important and interesting discoveries to include:

  • Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) a UK BAP and Tees Valley BAP priority species found on all four sites;

grayling butterfly
Grayling (Hipparchia semele) © Roger Key
Solitary wasp
Nysson trimaculatus © Roger Key
Dinfy Skipper
Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) © Greg Hitchcock

  • Grayling (Hipparchia semele) a UK BAP and Tees Valley BAP priority species found at BP CATS and Maze Park Nature Reserve;
  • The solitary wasp Nysson trimaculatus – a nationally scarce Notable B species found at BPCATS; and
  • Fen Wainscot moth (Arenostola phragmitidis) found at BP CATS, Lucite and Gravel Hole Up until last year this species had only been recorded once in the Tees Valley in the Stockton-on-Tees area in the 1970’s.
  • A complete species list for each site is currently being compiled and will be available soon to download.