Buglife Scotland

In Scotland, our projects have created, enhanced and better managed grasslands, peat bogs, brownfield sites, freshwater and many other habitats for invertebrates. We have advocated and campaigned for these habitats to be better protected and valued. We have also connected people to their local landscapes and expanded their knowledge and understanding of invertebrates and the role they play through our volunteer and citizen science projects.

Buglife have a very important job in restoring nature so invertebrates can thrive, and by working with partners, we are proud of what we have achieved so far. It is important that we all work together to protect Scotland’s invertebrates.

Through our project work we have engaged with thousands of people in talks, workshops, bug walks, school visits and other events to raise awareness of the importance of invertebrates, the free services they provide and how we can all do our bit to help them.

As the leading voice for invertebrates in Scotland, we continue to champion the needs of our special species to Scottish policymakers. Our advocacy activities include briefing MSPs, joining the collective calls of Scottish Environment Link as a member organisation, and taking our Nature Champions out to see Scotland’s best invertebrates up-close on site visits. To find out more about our policy asks, read our Manifesto for Bugs: Scotland.

Buglife Scotland has achieved many successes so far, including:

• The development and implementation of ‘A Strategy for Scottish Invertebrate Conservation’.
• Rediscovering rare species and finding new species, including, the Bordered Brown Lacewing (Megalomus hirtus) rediscovered at Holyrood Park and Bridge of Muchalls, Pond Mud Snail (Omphiscola glabra) at a pond in Falkirk and at Red Moss at Balerno, the Ten-spotted Pot Beetle (Cryptocephalus decemmaculatus) at Black Wood of Rannoch, and more.
• Mapping out our Important Invertebrate Areas across Scotland.
• Restoring and protecting over 210 hectare of rare lowland raised bog habitat in Slamannan.
• Running citizen science surveys for oil beetles, glow worms, wood ants and more.
• Helping to develop and deliver the Scottish Pollinator Strategy.
• Helping to develop the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy list for Scotland
• Saving the wonderful Aucheninnes Moss from development.
• Connecting 47 community groups (so far) to their local river catchments through Guardians of our Rivers and Guardians of our Rivers: Next Steps.