The public have once again risen to the challenge of telling London Wildlife Trust where they have seen the endangered stag beetle in London.
London Wildlife Trust are repeating their Stag Beetle Survey from last year, hosted on the GiGL website, so we can build on the picture we have of stag beetle distribution in London. Stag beetles emerge between March and late July, so there’s still time to spot a beetle.
So far, the response this summer has been excellent and the comments recorders leave about their encounters demonstrate how exciting and engaging these dramatic looking insects can be!
The stag beetle is a good symbol of London wildlife, a reminder that our capital is home to an array of interesting and sometimes rare wildlife – not just pigeons! They also illustrate how the public can become engaged with local wildlife and provide valuable assistance with species recording. GiGL’s species database includes collated datasets of public survey information from past stag beetle surveys run by PTES and London Wildlife Trust as well as records that members of the public have sent directly to us.
London is lucky to be a stronghold for these internationally endangered beetles and public surveys help to generate information about local populations and raise awareness about the sensitive ecology and habitat needs of these fascinating insects. See more about stag beetles here.
Photo: Stag beetle by Penny Frith
June 2012
For other ‘image of the week’ pieces see our archive.