Saving the small things that run the planetCanvey Wick is a 93 hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest on Canvey Island in Essex. Rich in plants, insects and animals, there are more species per square metre here than any other site in the UK. It has even been referred to as ‘England’s Rainforest’.
As such, it’s one of the most important British sites for endangered invertebrates. The RSPB manage just under 19ha of the SSSI as a nature reserve in partnership with Buglife, on behalf of the Land Trust, with work underway to bring more of the site under management with public access.
The site is home to over 1,300 species of invertebrate including at least 30 on the UK ‘red list’ of endangered species including:
Canvey Island Ground Beetle (Scybalicus oblongiusculus)
Five-banded Weevil-wasp (Cerceris quinquefasciata)
Shrill Carder Bee (Bombus sylvarum)
Brown-banded Carder Bee (Bombus humilis)
Scarce Emerald Damselfly (Lestes dryas)
To visit Canvey Wick please view our download “Directions to Canvey Wick” or see the RSPB website’s ‘Plan Your Visit’
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MembershipOur work would not be possible without your support. Bees and other invertebrates need help to reverse the catastrophic declines in their numbers. Please donate today and together we can restore vital habitats and rebuild strong populations of invertebrates in the UK.
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