Tuesday 21 May
In the News: First crane egg in the western UK in four centuries

What’s the World’s Favourite Species?
Find out here.| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Coleoptera |
| Family | Chrysomelidae |
| Genus | Chrysolina (1) |
The tansy beetle is an attractive bright green leaf beetle, with a coppery sheen (2). The wing cases were so admired by Victorians that they were used as sequins (3).
Little is known of the ecology of this species.
TopThis beetle was once very widespread in Britain, but is currently endangered (3). It is now restricted to the banks of the River Ouse around York (3).
TopOccurs on Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) beside riverbanks (1).
TopIncluded in English Nature's Species Recovery Programme.
TopReasons for the devastating decline of this beautiful beetle are unknown (3). Present threats include shading mainly by willows, planted to help to stabilise the riverbank, or the introduced plant Himalayan balsam (Impatiens gludulifera) (3).
TopEnglish Nature has funded a three-year study of the ecology of this beetle at the University of York. Hopes are that insights into the species resulting from this research will aid its conservation (3).
During construction of improved flood defences in part of the current range, tansy plants and beetles were removed, stored and relocated on the new defences. If this work is successful, English Nature may develop a long-term recovery programme for the species (3).
TopFor more on English Nature's Species Recovery Programme see:
http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/srp/default.asp
More »Related species
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