In our last article, we explored the numerous challenges insects face. Fortunately, there are many ways to support their survival. As our series on the world of insects concludes, we turn our focus to the solutions and actions that can help protect these vital creatures.

Let’s first delve into how two of our member organisations – UK Youth 4 Nature (UKY4N) and Jeugdbond voor Natuur en Milieu (JNM) – are actively contributing to insect conservation before giving you some practical steps to follow to take action!

UKY4N: Raising Awareness Through Creative Campaigns. 

UKY4N empowers young people in nature decision-making in the UK. In 2022, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s iconic book, “Silent Spring”,  they organised a youth insect photography competition, which showcased stunning images of UK insects. The winning photos were displayed at an exhibition at Oxford’s Museum of Natural History. 

In their Natural Kingdom: Wild Walls campaign, they included insects in murals across UK cities and towns, highlighting local wildlife in decline. A notable mural featured the beautiful tiger beetle in Liverpool. They also create digital art for social media, organise bee walks and hold online workshops.

As part of the “Not so Freshwater” campaign they even hosted a chemical cocktail bar event in London, highlighting the impact of chemical pollution on insects with youth artwork of a mayfly. 

What’s Next?

UKY4N plans to continue their successful initiatives, including the “Your Wild Streets” campaign  that will  advocate for pesticide-free urban areas in the UK to help pollinators thrive! 

JNM: Research and Human-Insect Cohabitation

JNM, based in Belgium, focuses on conservation through hands-on projects. A notable example is their work with the Cellar Beetle (Blaps mucronata), a rare species that was first found in their main secretariat building’s basement in 2006 but then thought extinct after the building was renovated in 2016, disturbing the beetle’s habitat. However, five years later, a fresh dead specimen was found, and after an extensive search, 15 living specimens were discovered.

What makes this beetle so special?

20 to 25 mm in size with pitch-black, with smooth shields and long legs, they require old, not-too-clean cellars with high humidity, stable temperatures, and lots of hiding places. They are now quite rare in Belgium, making JNM’s discovery even more significant. Originally, the Cellar Beetle was found mainly in southern Europe, living in caves and later adapting to human-made cellars. 

Inside JNM, a dilemma arose because the beetles were found in the same basement where tents and camp materials were stored, which need to be kept dry. To address this, JNM initiated a survey where beetles were caught, marked, and released back into a more humid basement to better suit their needs.