Buglife speaks up for the giant panda of Carrbridge
10th August 2005

BSCG now affiliated to Buglife

Our group is now affiliated to Buglife after a decision at our April meeting to join. Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is the first organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates, and is actively engaged in saving Britain's rarest bugs, slugs, snails, bees, wasps, ants, spiders, beetles and many more fascinating invertebrates.

Last year Buglife helped to save various populations of Priority Species listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. BSCG’s efforts to protect habitat for UK priority species of invertebrates in Carrbridge, including the Cousin German Moth and wood ants, were supported by Buglife in Carrbridge. At a planning meeting at Carrbridge the following comment provided to BSCG by Matt Shardlow of Buglife was read out. “Wood ants are the lifeblood of Scottish woodland and the critically threatened Narrow-headed ant is the Giant Panda of the wood ant fauna.”.

BSCG was represented earlier this year at a talk by Germaine Greer (Buglife Vice-President). She emphasised that “our most important heritage is not man-made. It is the treasure we call biodiversity” We look forward to working with Buglife when it comes to addressing the sadly continuing threats to biodiversity interests involving invertebrates in our district. In reference to the significant role of many invertebrates that we destroy at our peril Buglife talk about the little things “that run the world.”
The buglife website is www.buglife.org.uk

A large nest of narrow-headed ant beside juniper in Abernethy Forest. Picture © 2005 AM Jones BSCG.

The caterpillar of the emperor moth, one of our biggest and most impressive insects. It can be looked for on moorland in August but can be well camouflaged against the flowers of heather. The adults are on the wing earlier in the year. Picture © 2005 AM Jones BSCG 2005.