We were recently asked to help with a thrilling project to bring cicadas back to the UK.
These musical insects, Cicadetta montana, were last seen (and heard) in the UK some 30 years ago. Conservationists are hoping to re-establish their population in a project led by the Species Recovery Trust (SRT) and supported by Natural England.
On the road with 11 cicadas
Earlier this week, 11 female cicadas were captured in northern France by an entomologist. They were placed in a temperature-controlled cooler for their journey to the UK with Animalcouriers.
There was a nail-biting moment when the HMRC clearance system failed, but an agent at the Sevington Inland Border Facility realised the special nature of the cargo, and helped the cicadas get quickly on their way to their new home.
Some of the cicadas are thought to be pregnant and have already been laying eggs in their specially created habitat. If all goes to plan, the cicadas will be released later at secret locations in the New Forest.
More about the cicada restoration project
Read more about this exciting conservation project on the BBC website and the SRT website.
The collection took place in Noyant-Villages, a picturesque place with a traditional town hall…
…and an excellent bakery
Courier Gwen collected the cicadas from Kevin, who recorded they were safely packed in their temperature-controlled cooler inside our van, ready for their cross-Channel journey
If only I’d known the UK needed cicadas! I would happily have shipped several hundred of the thousands that talk outside in our large oak tree every spring!!
They swoop in, stay for a few days, and just as mysteriously swoop out.
Thank goodness for Animal Couriers who were willing to send some on their merry way.
Have a great weekend!!
Ha ha! Not sure they’d travel that far in good shape. Hard enough to get them over the channel what with having to catch them first and then getting caught with a customs glitch when we were entering the UK.
Super interesting project and of course Animal Couriers helps the effort! They only come our way every ten or so years and bring a lot of noise but they don’t eat plant life – they do burrow into loose bark to lay eggs but we rarely see one (but we can hear them). YAY for Animal Couriers.
Hugs, Pam
They are noisy individuals! Love the way they create a cacophony and as you approach they go deathly quiet, only to start up at full pitch once you’ve passed by. Here’s to the New Forrest having new experiences!
Indeed a very thrilling project and very specials travellers this time…
One of our favourite types of trip!
Well that is a different project for you. When are you going to reintroduce snakes to Ireland? OK that was just a joke. Here in Texas where we live the cicadas are loud, especially in the evening.
We would draw the line at that They are noisy!
They are so noisy, I don’t know why anyone would want them!
Yup, they sure are noisy!
I didn’t know they were a welcomed addition to a forest. We don’t have them were I live and TBH, I’m rather relieved. I’ve seen news stories about them in other places and there’s A LOT of them all at once.
The sound of summer! Sure you can’t turn them off but when they’re quiet, that’s the end of the summer 😉
You’ss don’t have Ceecada’ss?? Wee still hae sum butt wee only heer them inn August….Wee hope they will multy-ply an soon youss’ can lissen to their chirpin!!!
purrss BellaDharma an {{huggiess}} BellaSita Mum
It’s been at least 30 years since they were last heard in the Black Forest, we do hope they’re busy making babies!
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