A NATURE reserve has been set up in the Highlands near Aviemore, dedicated to saving a rare insect from extinction.
The reintroduction project, a UK first, involves the mysterious pine hoverfly, and if all goes well, it will soon be flying in the Cairngorm foothills again for the first time in 60 years.
The hoverfly, the size of a small bumble bee, is in a perilous state due to its specialised breeding requirements. It needs rotting tree stumps to lay its eggs in, but a lack of old trees means it may now number just 250 individuals in Scotland.
The reintroduction has seen 20 of the attractive red and black insects reared at a specially-constructed field laboratory in the grounds of Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms National Park.
Scots pines have been felled and drilled with holes that are filled with soggy wood chips to mimic rotting tree stumps where the fly larvae will hopefully thrive.
The species reintroduction is the result of joint working between Scottish Natural Heritage, Rothiemurchus Estate, and PhD scientist Ellie Rotheray who is leading insect research from a home-made laboratory on the estate. It is hoped her work will contribute to learning more about the fascinating creature, as much of the pine hoverfly’s mating habits and diet are unknown.
The habitat restoration is also a result of Rothiemurchus Estate’s Forest Plan, which ensures that the natural forest is managed in a way that enhances biodiversity. The SNH role is led by Iain MacGowan.
Rothiemurchus owner Johnnie Grant said: “We are delighted to have been able to help SNH, Ellie and Iain achieve this success. Rothiemurchus Forest is a wonderfully rich network of habitats and wildlife.
“This estate management strategy is providing an improving habitat for a species which has been absent since around 1950 possibly because of a lack of large tree stumps due to the cessation of cutting following extensive wartime fellings. The hoverfly is a key species that will be monitored from now on.”
Mr MacGowan of SNH said: “With only two sites known in Britain, the population of the pine hoverfly is in a fragile state and we need to take action now to save it for future generations.
“This site is just one of a few locations in the UK suitable for the insects and we are grateful to the estate for their efforts in ensuring that this species is able to gain a foothold here through their habitat restoration work.
“It could be argued the pine hoverfly is a victim of its own specialised breeding cycle as it needs large, old rotten tree stumps more than 15in in diameter to breed. But the lack of such large trees in native pinewoods is a problem not only for this hoverfly but also for other insects and birds. We now need to think about managing our forests to help this little insect as well as all the better known species.”