Rare Shetland beetle gets new name: introducing da Peerie Red Scarred Wan

In Shetland, the Plantain Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina intermedia) is only known to be found at the Keen of Hamar in Unst. It can also be found at Yesnaby in Orkney, on the banks of Loch Etive near Oban and in Norway; it’s found nowhere else in the world. 

The students have been taking part in workshops with Species on the Edge to learn about the beetle: its ecology, distribution, and its history here in Shetland. They’ve also headed out to the Keen of Hamar to look for it and have written a creative story about the beetle. 

Species on the Edge then teamed up with Shetland for Wirds to support the students in picking a new name for the Plantain Leaf Beetle in the Shetland dialect. The winning name – da Peerie Red Scarred Wan – refers to the distinctive, bold red stripes on the beetle’s wing cases. In the children’s story, da Peerie Red Scarred Wan gained these stripes from the rocks at the Keen of Hamar which historically were used in making paint. The story goes: 

“Da beetle wha bydes on da Keen o Hamar hed a aafil fight wi his twa cousins. Dey fled far awa. Noo wan byde in Orkney, an da idder bydes in a loch. Da three beetles ir nearly as owld as da whole wirld. Dey got alang fine until da people cam ta be near dem. Dir is mair beetles in da wirld, but da een on da Keen o Hamar juist wants ta be on his ain. He’s embarrassed bi his red stripe. He got da red strip becis da rocks on da Keen o Hamar can be used tae mak pent, an da beetle wis scarred bi da rocks. He got cut bi a rock whin he wis lookin fir some plantain. It’s da red stripe on his back dat is da reason he is caad…. Da Peerie Red Scarred Wan.” 

The children’s story has been made into an animation, which can be viewed from the Species on the Edge website: www.speciesontheedge.co.uk/da-peerie-red-scarred-wan 

Species on the Edge People Engagement Officer, Gareth Powell, said: “Combining our natural heritage with our cultural heritage is so important as both are so intertwined. It was fantastic to be able to work with Shetland for Wirds and Baltasound Primary to create a truly Shetland name for this beetle and create a myth around its beautiful red stripes!” 

Bruce Eunson from Shetland for Wirds said: “I wis delighted tae wirk wi Species on the Edge an da bairns up in Unst on dis project! Takkin Shaetlan language an gittin tae use it no onnly in da schule wi da bairns but in a wye dat is sae creative an cross-curricular wis juist fantastic.”

Visitors to the home of da Peerie Red Scarred Wan in Shetland - the Keen of Hamar - are encouraged to keep an eye out for the rare beetle and to record any sightings on iRecord: www.irecord.org.uk.