Cicadas reintroduced to New Forest after disappearing in 1990s
Musical insects that went extinct in the UK have been brought back to the country from France by conservationists hoping to re-establish their population.Scientists from the Species Recovery Trust (SRT) this week released 11 New Forest cicadas into a specially created habitat at Paultons Park - just outside the Hampshire woods where they once sang.The New Forest cicada was once found across the national park - but the last confirmed sightings were in the 1990s.Charlotte Carne, from the SRT, said the reintroduction project was "like bringing them back from the dead."
She added that it was "amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time" following the "really challenging project".
Conservationists believe the insects became extinct in the UK because of changes to the way land was managed.Earlier this week 11 female cicadas were captured in northern France, before being shipped to the UK.It is thought that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat near Romsey.The species' young spend at least four years underground, meaning the trust will not know if the re-introduction has been successful until 2029 at the earliest.If they survive, the conservationists plan to release the adults at secret locations in the New Forest.The first-of-its-kind project has been partly funded by Natural England, which said it represented a "remarkable achievement".Graham Norton, from Natural England, added: "After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest."
You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
28 Years Later review: Another relentless apocalyptic horror from Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have produced another horror masterpiece with 28 Years Later , the third instalment in the '28 Days' universe. The director and writer were not heavily involved in the followup, '28 Weeks Later', but they make a triumphant return in the new film. It is partly shot on iPhones, something introduced by Boyle with 28 Days later, and this contributes to the frantic and anxiety-inducing pace of the film as our new protagonisted go up against the infected. Advertisement This includes new additions to the creatures that were produced about the rage virus, including the terrifying 'alphas' who are able to effortlessly rip people's heads off. While the film is full of the action we saw in its two predecessors, Boyle and Garland manage to include a commentary on British society. With the rest of the world operating as normal as the 21st century rages on, Britain is quarantined to keep the infected from reaching the rest of the world, with navies patrolling its waters. In a remote island, survivors life a primitive but peaceful and safe existence, accessible to the foreboding 'mainland' only by a causeway only accessible when the tide recedes. Advertisement With Britain stuck in the past, it's hard to avoid the intended Brexit parable. This is only accentuated by Boyle's use of black and white World War footage, and a haunting score which includes 1903 poem " Boots " by Rudyard Kipling , recited by American actor Taylor Holmes. Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) brings his 12-year-old son Spike (Alfie Williams) to the mainland to get his first kills in an almost ritualistic expedition, against the advice of the communiy's elders who warn that Spike is far too young. Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later. The horrors they encounter leave a mark on father and son, but Spike is determined to return to seek a cure for his seriously ill mother Islan ( Jodie Comer ). This is where we once again enconter Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). A key character in the first film, Dr Kelson steals the show once again. His descent into madness, looking like Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse now, isn't quite what it seems, despite the temple of skulls he has amassed. The ending sets things up nicely for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which is due for release in January 2026.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
New blood test could transform chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis
Scientists have identified a potential blood test that could provide the first reliable diagnosis for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Currently, ME is diagnosed by ruling out other illnesses, a lengthy process that can take years for patients. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh compared blood samples from ME patients and healthy individuals, identifying 116 "biomarkers" linked to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and liver dysfunction. This breakthrough challenges the perception that ME is psychological, with Professor Chris Ponting stating that evidence is visible in patients' blood. While promising, the research is still in its early stages, and further work is required before a definitive diagnostic test can be guaranteed.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
A simple blood test could offer first reliable diagnosis for ME
A simple blood test could provide the first reliable diagnosis for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and end the lengthy process of trying to identify the debilitating condition, scientists have found. It's thought more than 400,000 people in the UK suffer with the condition, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Pain, brain fog and extreme low energy that does not improve with sleep are just some of the symptoms of ME. There is no cure and the cause is unknown. Currently the only way to diagnose it is by ruling out other illnesses – a long process that can mean patients wait years for a diagnosis. However, researchers at the University of Edinburgh believe they have made a breakthrough. The study published in the Journal EMBO Molecular Medicine used data from the UK Biobank – a large-scale resource based on the health data and biological samples of 500,000 UK participants. Researchers compared blood samples from 1,455 ME patients with more than 131,000 healthy people. They identified differences in cell counts and molecules that differed in concentrations between the two. The differences in samples for the ME patients were related to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and liver dysfunction. These findings were compared and replicated in data from a group of American patients and healthy controls. Researchers found 116 'biomarkers' for ME in the blood of men and women with the condition. This is a key finding because the condition affects men and women differently. Professor Chris Ponting, of the university's Institute of Genetics and Cancer, said: 'For so long people with ME/CFS have been told it's all in their head. It's not. We see [it] in their blood. 'Evidence of a large number of replicated and diverse blood biomarkers that differentiate between ME/CFS cases and controls should dispel any lingering perception it is caused by deconditioning and exercise intolerance.' These biomarkers did not change when the participants were any more active – consistent with the view graded exercise therapy, which aims to gradually increase activity levels, is unlikely to be helpful. In fact, the largest differences were seen in people who reported post-exertional malaise. This is when the symptoms of the condition become worse even after minor physical effort. Dr Sjoerd Beentjes, of the university's School of Mathematics, said: 'Blood differences are sometimes attributed to reduced activity levels rather than ME/CFS directly. Our study provides strong evidence ME/CFS affects blood traits through paths other than activity.' However, this research is still at an early stage and there is no guarantee a test will be possible, study authors stressed. Professor Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, who was not part of the study, said: 'There is a lot more to do.' 'These findings could help in finding a set of blood biomarkers that can reasonably reliably distinguish people with ME/CFS from those who do not have that condition, but that, without a lot of further work, the findings do not in themselves provide such a set of biomarkers,' he added.
