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Scientists put ‘mini backpacks’ on one of UK’s rarest beetles to study movements
(www.independent.co.uk)
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Scientists have put “mini backpacks” on rare beetles found in temperate rainforest fragments to record their movements as part of a study that could help to support conservation efforts.
Researchers from the University of Exeter have been working with the Woodland Trust to examine the blue ground beetle, an elusive animal that lives in the habitat in south-west England, and about which little is known.
“One male whose tag number happened to be R9 turned out to be a real athlete, just like his namesake, Ronaldo, travelling large distances within the forest each night, which is the scaled-up equivalent of several kilometres.”
Mr Pett said the beetles are only active for a few months a year during warm, humid evenings in late spring and early summer to feast on slugs and to search for mates.
“Our radio-tracking revealed that they also prefer to stay away from the outside border of their woodland habitat, with individuals resting up during the day in mossy logs of decaying deadwood or in cracks in trees in shady parts of the forest,” he added.
The Woodland Trust is working with various partners in the South West, Scotland and Wales to form multi-partner alliances to help protect temperate rainforest environments for the future.
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