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Celebrating creepy crawlies
18 June 2012
Samantha Stokes
Media Officer
E-mail: sam.stokes@rspb.org.uk
Next week is National Insect Week 2012 [25 June – 1 July], organised by the Royal Entomological Society to give an insight to the fascinating and diverse world of insects and to raise awareness of the important role they play in our environment.
The biennial initiative is designed to show why insects are one of the most varied and important groups of animals, with hundreds of species often being found in an ordinary back garden.
National Insect Week is supported by the RSPB and more than 50 other national partner organisations, all concerned about natural history and biodiversity.
Of the 13,400 species recorded on RSPB Reserves, more than half are insects. All the native British species of dragonflies, damselflies, cockroaches and earwigs can be found on RSPB reserves, as well as 77% of grasshopper and cricket species, 58% of beetles and 66% of butterflies and moths.
Samantha Stokes, from the RSPB in the South East said: “Insects are vitally important to the balance of our ecosystem.
“From eating pests that damage crops, to being a food source themselves for other animals, or pollinating flowers and making honey, some even help breakdown organic waste – insects carry out a variety of roles.
“There are those we love such as butterflies and dragonflies, and there are some we might be less keen on like wasps or mosquitoes – but none the less, they all have a role to play.”
In West Sussex, the RSPB’s popular Pulborough Brooks nature reserve in the scenic Arun Valley has a huge variety of species to see.
Emperor dragonflies patrol the pond edges, while broad bodied and four-spotted chaser dragonflies perch on twigs. Butterflies to look out for include red admirals, speckled woods, common and holly blues, meadow browns, gatekeepers and ringlets.
Other interesting insects include the ferocious green tiger beetles, the chirruping field crickets, which were translocated to the reserve two years ago, and magnificent hawk moths which are attracted to the light traps.
To join in the celebrations, the reserve will be holding an ‘Ugly Bug Ball’ event over the weekend of 30 June and 1 July. It is a drop in event suitable for families and adults alike. With a colour and camouflage theme, you can get up close to moths, play mini-beast top trumps, make a bug-themed craft or go on a guided walk looking for butterflies and dragonflies.
For further information on RSPB Pulborough Brooks and its events, please visit www.rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks or contact the visitor centre on 01798 875851
For further information about National Insect Week, please visit www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk
Notes
For further information and to arrange an interview, please contact:
Samantha Stokes, RSPB South East, t: 01273 763610
For more about National insect Week, please contact Jane Chamberlain at Cicada Communications on 01423 567111 or jane@cicada-comms.com
Photographs:
Images to support this story are available from RSPB Images. To access an image, please click on the hyperlink below and then enter the user name and password when prompted.
Hyperlink:https://www.rspb-images.com/respages/storysetsignon.aspx?key=61c28db2-6c43-4f9d-a5cb-051059d4deaa
User Name: insect
Password: week
Notes to editors:
· National Insect Week is organised by the Royal Entomological Society http://www.royensoc.co.uk/ and is supported by a large number of partner organisations concerned with many aspects of insect science, natural history and biodiversity.
· RSPB Pulborough Brooks nature reserve is located off the A283 between Pulborough and Storrington.
· The Visitor Centre at Pulborough Brooks, with licensed Café, gift shop, information area and toilets, is open daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm, the nature trail from dawn until 9 pm (or until dusk if earlier). Nature trail entry to RSPB members is free, non-members £3.50 adult, £2.50 concession, £1 child, £7 Family (2 adults and up to 4 children). Charges apply to most events.
· Parking and entry to visitor centre is free. For directions to the reserve and for more information visit: www.rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks
· We are extremely grateful for the financial support received from SITA Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund, Defra and Natural England towards biodiversity works at the reserve.
· Pulborough has recently reduced its carbon footprint with solar thermal and photovoltaic panels installed alongside other energy saving measures. This has been generously funded by the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (a Department of Energy and Climate Change grant scheme distributed by BRE (Buildings Research Establishment), the Community Sustainable Energy Programme (a Big Lottery grant also distributed by BRE) and the South Downs AONB Sustainable Development Fund.
· Thanks to help on the reserve from employees of Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Earthwatch, Worthing College and American Express, we have been able to deliver more for conservation at Pulborough Brooks.