New Forest cicada  (Cicadetta montana)

Although the New Forest cicada has probably never been common in this country, recent disappearances are linked to the loss of its favoured habitat. Most damaging is the constant year-round grazing pressure on the New Forest, resulting in a loss of the favoured scrub-edge habitat and the plants required for egg-laying and as food for the nymphs. The emergence turrets are prone to being destroyed by livestock trampling, which in turn leads to the nymphs being predated by ground beetles. An increase in bracken cover also lowers ground temperatures and shades out the ground where the nymphs develop.

The New Forest cicada is listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plans (UK BAP) and is included in English Nature's Species Recovery Programme. The managers of the New Forest, Forest Enterprise, are working to create ideal habitat for this fascinating insect. Current research is aimed at discovering the exact details of its habitat requirements with the intention of creating the correct conditions in targeted areas of the Forest, and Bristol Zoo is beginning a captive breeding project, using stock from Belgium.