Rare beastie celebrates 200 years since first found in Scotland, and the Scottish public is being asked to help find more

To mark the anniversary, Species on the Edge is hosting a Bordered Brown Lacewing surveying event at Stonehaven War Memorial, led by experts from Buglife. The event will kick off at 2pm and will offer attendees an informal, guided opportunity to learn how to survey for the Bordered Brown Lacewing and hopefully an opportunity to meet the rare invertebrate up close! All ages and experience levels are welcomed.

The event kicks off Species on the Edge’s ‘200 hours for Lacewings’ challenge – a challenge encouraging volunteers across Scotland to collectively contribute 200 hours of learning about, surveying and reporting sightings of the Bordered Brown Lacewing.

The Bordered Brown Lacewing only has a handful of known sites in the UK, all of which are in Scotland: along the Aberdeenshire coast; in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh; and one site in Sutherland. However, research from invertebrate conservation charity, Buglife, suggests that there are Bordered Brown Lacewing populations out there in Scotland that are yet to be discovered. Species on the Edge is therefore encouraging the Scottish public to go out and look for it. 

Fiona Basford, Buglife Species on the Edge Conservation Officer, said: “The Bordered Brown Lacewing (Megalomus hirtus) is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species and is listed on the Scottish Biodiversity List, due to its limited distribution and vulnerability.

There are still many unanswered questions about this species that need to be addressed to better understand its habitat and distribution. Through Species on the Edge we're working to build a clearer picture of where it’s found and what it needs to survive, so we can take informed action and create more safe havens for this rare and threatened invertebrate. We’re calling on the Scottish public to help survey for this species — your sightings could help reveal new locations and guide conservation efforts.”

To help people learn how to survey the rare invertebrate, Species on the Edge is hosting an online survey training session at 7pm on Tuesday 1^st July, as well as the in-person survey event in Stonehaven.

More information about the ‘200 hours for Lacewings’ challenge and events can be found on the Species on the Edge website: speciesontheedge.co.uk/volunteers/200-hours-of-lacewings-challenge-survey-the-bordered-brown-lacewing/

To attend either the Stonehaven survey event or the online training, or if you have any questions, email Fiona: Fiona.basford@buglife.org.uk.