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Lost Singing Insect Returns to UK After 30 Years
9 Jul
Summary
- Conservationists brought New Forest Cicada eggs from France.
- Insects were located using specialized listening equipment.
- The species hasn't been seen in the UK since the 1990s.
Conservationists have embarked on an ambitious mission to reintroduce the New Forest Cicada to the UK, a species last observed in the 1990s. A recent expedition successfully collected eggs from a French military base, bringing them to Paultons Park Zoo in Hampshire. The eggs were found within bracken stems on the 5,300-hectare military academy near Rennes, chosen for its habitat similarity to the New Forest.
Specialist equipment, including ultrasound detectors, was used to locate the elusive insects and their eggs. The collected bracken stems were transported back to the UK, where miniature vases were devised to keep the plant samples alive and protect newly hatched nymphs. This initiative, funded by Natural England, aims to re-establish Cicadetta montana in southern England.
Even with successful hatching, a lengthy wait is anticipated, as immature cicadas are believed to spend four to ten years underground. Conservationists are actively studying the insect's life cycle and behavior, much of which remains a mystery. The ultimate goal is to hear hundreds of cicadas singing again in the New Forest.
