Latest news with #NewForestCicada
The Independent
a day ago
- Science
- The Independent
Extinct insects return to UK: ‘Like bringing them back from the dead'
The New Forest cicada, a musical insect species extinct in the UK, has been reintroduced from France by the Species Recovery Trust. Eleven New Forest cicadas were released into a habitat at Paultons Park, near the New Forest, where they previously lived until the 1990s. Conservationists attribute the extinction to changes in land management and are hopeful that a warming climate will now favour their survival. Charlotte Carne from the Species Recovery Trust said it was 'amazing' to see the insects return to the UK: 'It's like bringing them back from the dead.' Some of the reintroduced cicadas are already laying eggs in their habitat, but the success of the project will not be known until at least 2029 due to the insect's long nymph stage.
BBC News
a day ago
- Science
- BBC News
Cicadas reintroduced to New Forest after disappearing in 1990s
Musical insects that went extinct in the UK have been brought back to the country from France by conservationists hoping to re-establish their from the Species Recovery Trust (SRT) this week released 11 New Forest cicadas into a specially created habitat at Paultons Park - just outside the Hampshire woods where they once New Forest cicada was once found across the national park - but the last confirmed sightings were in the Carne, from the SRT, said the reintroduction project was "like bringing them back from the dead." She added that it was "amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time" following the "really challenging project". Conservationists believe the insects became extinct in the UK because of changes to the way land was this week 11 female cicadas were captured in northern France, before being shipped to the is thought that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat near species' young spend at least four years underground, meaning the trust will not know if the re-introduction has been successful until 2029 at the they survive, the conservationists plan to release the adults at secret locations in the New first-of-its-kind project has been partly funded by Natural England, which said it represented a "remarkable achievement".Graham Norton, from Natural England, added: "After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
a day ago
- Science
- The Independent
Singing cicadas brought back to UK from France after disappearing in 1990s
Musical insects that went extinct in the UK have been brought back to the country from France by conservationists hoping to re-establish their population. Scientists at the Species Recovery Trust this week released 11 New Forest cicadas into a specially created habitat at Paultons Park – just outside the Hampshire woods where they once sang. The New Forest cicada, Cicadetta montana, was once found across the New Forest but the last confirmed sightings were in the 1990s. Conservationists believe the insects became extinct in the UK because of changes to the way land was managed. Charlotte Carne, Species Recovery Trust project officer, said: 'This has been a really challenging project so it's amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time. 'It's like bringing them back from the dead.' The adult insects are black with distinct golden rings and transparent wings, with females growing to about 5cm while males are slightly smaller. The Trust recruited a French entomologist this week who captured the 11 female cicadas in northern France and had them shipped to the UK on Wednesday. It is understood that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat, which is full of their favourite plants such as raspberry canes and hazel tree saplings. Because cicadas spend at least four years underground as nymphs, the trust will not know until 2029 at the earliest whether this phase of the project has been successful. If they survive, the conservationists can release the adults at secret locations in the New Forest. In the meantime, the team said it hopes to import more cicadas from France to continue the breeding programme at Paultons Park. They are also studying populations of the same species in Slovenia to learn more about their behaviour. Dominic Price, Species Recovery Trust director, said: 'We believe the New Forest cicada probably went extinct because of changes to the way land was managed, but we have worked with Forestry England to put the right kind of management in place. 'What's more, we think that our warming climate could also favour their survival, so we are very hopeful that one day soon, cicadas will sing in the New Forest again.' The first-of-its-kind project has been funded by Natural England, the Swire Charitable Trust and the Valentine Charitable Trust. Graham Horton, acting deputy director for the Thames Solent Area Team at Natural England, said: 'This project represents a remarkable achievement, showcasing the dedication, innovation and teamwork that made it possible. 'After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest.'
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The Independent
2 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
‘Musical insect' extinct in the UK for over 30 years to be brought back from France
A species of musical insect extinct in the UK has been reintroduced to the country from France, conservationists have said. The Species Recovery Trust released 11 New Forest cicadas this week into a habitat at Paultons Park, near the Hampshire woods where they previously lived. The New Forest cicada, or Cicadetta montana, used to be found across the New Forest, but the last confirmed sightings were in the 1990s. Conservationists believe changes to land management led to their extinction in the UK. Charlotte Carne, Species Recovery Trust project officer, said: "This has been a really challenging project so it's amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time." 'It's like bringing them back from the dead.' The adult insects are black with distinct golden rings and transparent wings, with females growing to about 5cm while males are slightly smaller. The Trust recruited a French entomologist this week who captured the 11 female cicadas in northern France and had them shipped to the UK on Wednesday. It is understood that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat, which is full of their favourite plants such as raspberry canes and hazel tree saplings. Because cicadas spend at least four years underground as nymphs, the trust will not know until 2029 at the earliest whether this phase of the project has been successful. If they survive, the conservationists can release the adults at secret locations in the New Forest. In the meantime, the team said it hopes to import more cicadas from France to continue the breeding programme at Paultons Park. They are also studying populations of the same species in Slovenia to learn more about their behaviour. Dominic Price, Species Recovery Trust director, said: 'We believe the New Forest cicada probably went extinct because of changes to the way land was managed, but we have worked with Forestry England to put the right kind of management in place. 'What's more, we think that our warming climate could also favour their survival, so we are very hopeful that one day soon, cicadas will sing in the New Forest again.' The first-of-its-kind project has been funded by Natural England, the Swire Charitable Trust and the Valentine Charitable Trust. Graham Horton, acting deputy director for the Thames Solent Area Team at Natural England, said: 'This project represents a remarkable achievement, showcasing the dedication, innovation and teamwork that made it possible. 'After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest.'
