Buglife has received funding of £56,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to run the Tansy Beetle Champions project, which will help improve the beetle’s habitat and work with local people to save ‘The Jewel of York’.

The Tansy Beetle is a beautiful, shiny green beetle that feeds on the Tansy plant. Although the plant is quite common along the banks of the Ouse, the beetles are not great flyers making it difficult for them to get to new areas. As a result they are now only found in a few small pockets in York which are prone to flooding, putting the insects at risk.

The new Tansy Beetle Conservation Officer, Sophie Badrick, said: "It’s a very exciting project which is creating a huge amount of opportunities for people to get involved and become Tansy Beetle Champions. We’re hoping to get people doing a range of different activities. From growing tansy plants in your garden; to helping give guided walks; to getting out with Buglife to protect or improve existing habitat, there’s something for everyone."

[quote=Sophie Badrick, Tansy Beetle Conservation Officer]It's a very exciting project creating a huge amount of opportunities for people to become Tansy Beetle Champions.[/quote]

The 18-month project aims to get more people involved in helping the Tansy to thrive and expand its current range and will work closely with City of York Council and the long running Tansy Beetle Action Group.

Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and the Humber, Dr Fiona Spiers, said: “Few people realise that every Lottery ticket has the potential to save the UK’s landscapes, countryside and creatures, but bats are as important a part of our heritage as Botticelli. Imagine if future generations don’t have the chance to enjoy the sight of the Tansy Beetle because we didn’t do enough to save them now.”

Anyone keen to volunteer or find out more about the project should contact Sophie Badrick on Sophie.badrick@buglife.org.uk or 07880 316 027.

Notes to editors

Buglife–The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is the only charity in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates, and is actively working to save Britain's rarest bugs, bees, butterflies, ants, worms, beetles and many more fascinating invertebrates. Further information is available on Buglife’s website,  or follow on Twitter @buzz_dont_tweet or Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust Facebook page.