Rare species spotted at Rabbit Ings Country Park

A rare beetle usually found near the south coast of England has been spotted at Rabbit Ings Country Park in Barnsley

The Tawny Longhorn beetle (Paracorymbia fulva) was discovered on the park on 16 July by regular park visitor, Shaun Wood, who was able to clearly photograph the creatures.

The photographs were sent for verification by expert and recorder for all Coleoptera (beetles), Bob Marsh at the Yorkshire Naturalist Union, to confirm the recording of this species at the park.

This is the second record of the Tawny Longhorn in Yorkshire in the space of a year, with the first being found at Allerthorpe Common near York last year.

Little is known about this beetle as its larvae has never been found, however, it is thought that they are moving north due to global warming, with sightings in the midlands in recent years.

Ian Kendall, Estates Manager for the Land Trust, said, “The fact that nobody really knows much about this beetle makes it even more exciting that it has been found on our park.

“We’ll be keeping an eye on the Tawny Longhorn and monitoring the population here. We know that woodland habitats are important for them, so this will be the focus of our efforts.

“It’s always great to see the vast array of nature Rabbit Ings attracts and this sighting further proves that well-managed parks and green spaces can be beneficial to both visitors and biodiversity.”

Rabbit Ings Country Park in Royston is open every for anyone who wants to take a break from the indoors and get back to nature.

For more information, please go to thelandtrust.org.uk/space/rabbit-ings-country-park/.