Tansy Beetle
The endangered Tansy Beetle (Chrysolina graminis) was once widespread through the UK but is now restricted to a stretch of the River Ouse in York and small populations in the East of England. The Tansy Beetle Project aimed to celebrate this special beetle through outreach events with the local community in York, creating new secure areas of its Tansy foodplants and educating landowners.
Quick Facts:
- Name of Project: Tansy Beetle
- Duration of Project: 2015 – 2016
- Location of Project: York
- Species benefiting from Project: Tansy Beetle (Chrysolina graminis)
- Project funded by: Lottery Heritage Fund and the Ernest Cook Trust
The decline in Tansy Beetle populations has led to its designation as a conservation priority species in England (section 41 species), which means that public bodies have a duty to protect it, together with its habitat.
Although the Tansy plant is widespread along the River Ouse, land-use changes and the increase of invasive species such as Himalayan balsam have resulted in a decline in plants over the past few decades.
As the beetles are dependent on Tansy as their sole food source on their York site, if a clump disappears the beetles have to walk to a new clump as they don’t seem to fly.
This has had an adverse affect on Tansy Beetle numbers as their populations have become increasingly isolated.
Tansy Beetle Champions
Buglife worked on the Tansy Beetle Champions Project to get local people involved in the conservation of this iconic beetle. By engaging the local community, we were able to raise awareness of the Tansy beetle and improve our understanding of the beetle’s habitat and range.
The Tansy Beetle Champions project was funded by the Lottery Heritage Fund and the Ernest Cook Trust.
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