The Scarlet malachite beetle (Malachius aeneus) is a tiny creature about the size of your little fingernail (7mm length). This beautiful green and red beetle only flies for three weeks each year in May and June and is found on flowers and tall grasses in meadows, overgrown hedgerows and village greens (that have not been mown) and road verges, often in the vicinity of thatched cottages.
 Tristan Bantock.jpg) |
| Scarlet malachite beetle (Malachius aeneus) © Tristan Bantock |
The first Scarlet malachite beetle survey
In 2005 Buglife organised the first ever public survey for the beetle. Buglife distributed tens of thousands of leaflets about the beetle and the survey, gave talks in schools and made a plea for help on the BBC. The result was incredible, with hundreds of people on the lookout for this rare creature. With help from members of the public we were able to identify four new sites, helping to ensure its long term survival.
In 2006, Buglife decided to expand the survey, into the areas where the beetle has been lost, this included Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, Surrey, Dorset and Somerset.
Unusual celebrity and media support
Buglife gained support from an unlikely source - Jimmy Doherty, beetle enthusiast and star of BBC’s ‘Jimmy’s Farm’. Jimmy officially launched the survey at his Essex Pig Company in Suffolk in May. His involvement helped to raise the profile of the survey and aided media coverage. Although, the weather during the survey period was terrible, the general public helped to find one new site for the beetle.
In 2006, the survey successfully ended with a front page article in The Independent newspaper featuring a large photo of the beetle, to accompany a piece about invertebrate declines.
Thatched roofs and the Scarlet malachite beetle
In 2007, experts continued surveying for the beetle and began investigating its ecology. A possible breakthrough was made when what appeared to be a scarlet malachite beetle larva was found in a thatched roof - unfortunately, it escaped before we experts had a chance to properly identify it!
In 2008, a dedicated team of volunteers continued to monitor the beetle at its main Essex site (the fifth year that they have been doing this valuable work). The other sites where the beetle occurs were given management advice from Buglife.
Captive breeding success
In 2009, a captive breeding programme was undertaken to aid the conservation of the beetle. For more details on the captive breeding success click here.
