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30 November 2007
Dipping to discovery
Rare beetle re-discovered by volunteers
Excitement gripped members of the Nene Valley Ecology Group when a rare beetle was rediscovered at Summer Leys Local Nature Reserve last weekend.
Only seen once before in the area, three years ago, this red data book beetle, Hydaticus transversalis, was discovered as volunteers were testing out the new pond-dipping platform at Summer Leys, near Wollaston, Northamptonshire. The distinctive insect, with golden stripes across its shoulders was instantly recognised and definitely rated as the ‘catch of the day’.
Summer Leys is just one of the nature reserves in the Nene Valley being monitored by the Nene Valley Ecology Group, a team of volunteers providing valuable data on the success of improvements to wetland habitats along the River Nene. This year the Wildlife Trust has been working to enhance such habitats as well as visitor facilities at Summer Leys, with the construction of a new dipping platform, and re-profiling of the scrapes and ponds.
The Ecology Group volunteers from The Wildlife Trust were investigating the water beetles and other insects that live in the wetland habitats of Summer Leys as part of the £65,000 Valley Volunteers project, funded by Natural England, through Defra’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund. The project engages people from local communities to take action in support of these important habitats in the Nene Valley and to update our scientific knowledge of their condition. This habitat monitoring focuses on gathering data on wildlife ranging from bats to birds and from water beetles to wild flowers.
The Trust is working to protect and enhance in the Nene Valley and Summer Leys is an important link for wildlife in the upper Nene Valley floodplain. It has Site of Special Scientific Interest status due to its waterfowl populations. It supports a rich array of birds, dragonflies and wild flowers, as well as otters. Please follow the link to learn more about how you can get involved in monitoring through Ecology Groups.