Heather Beetle
Heather Beetle
Heather Beetle Outbreak - Survey, August 2006
We have started to receive reports of heather beetle outbreaks on Dartmoor and in the Brecon Beacons.
To give us as full a picture as possible about the extent of any outbreaks this year, if you are aware of any beetle damage please could you send us details by completing the survey form and return it to us using the FREEPOST address. A photograph of any damaged areas / plants would be useful.
Background
The Trust has long had concern about the potential for heather beetle to kill heather on a wide scale. A large scale outbreak has the potential to undo years of careful moorland management in a single season.
In many areas, we believe that heather beetle has been instrumental in driving the change from heather to grass dominated moorland. This is a particularly significant cause of moorland decline in the wetter areas, generally on the west side of the country, where there is often greater competition from grasses. Purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea is the chief culprit.
One scenario that appears to have taken place in many areas is for a beetle attack to occur after a fire. The heather - grass mixture will rgenerate in approximate balance, but if a heather beetle attack occurs in the early stages of regeneration, it appears to be possible for the grass to become completely dominant and prevent a second crop of heather getting established after the beetle attack. In this situation there is no chance for the heather to re-establish and the conversion to grass dominance is complete.
Research
What is clear is that we do not know enough about this heather pest. The Trust has promoted the need for more research on two levels: first, into the ecology of the beetle and second how best to manage moorland after a beetle attack, and even how best to manage to reduce the risk of an attack in the first place. The ecological research needs scientific input and Scotland's Moorland Forum has supported applications for funding to the Natural Environment Research Council, but these have so far been unsuccessful. The Trust is promoting the management research in collaboration with the Game Conservancy Trust and it is hoped to fund this work from a mixture of private and public sector funding. We would be pleased to hear from anyone wishing to support this work.
Guidance
We have prepared a guidance document that can be downloaded from here. Some photographs that show what to look for in late July - September to identify an attack are attached.