The Tansy Beetle is a beautiful metallic beetle in Britain that is endangered because its habitat has been reduced by human development. As discussed in a post last year, the beetle survives only in a 30 km stretch of the River Ouse near York. Several groups have stepped up to protect and manage habitat that is suitable for this beetle. The latest is the York Museum Gardens.
The Gardens will plant special beds of tansy, which are the food plants for the beetles and monitor the beetle population. The mission of museums is to provide exhibits that interest the public and provide education about important issues. An endangered species exhibit featuring the endangered species is a great opportunity for a new museum attraction and to educate the public about the large decrease in numbers of species worldwide due to habitat destruction.
Tansy Beetle
Photo: Geoff Oxford
Interesting. Here Tansy is a Noxious Weed and I just had to eliminate a patch in my pasture. Well, kill the tops anyway. Chrysolina graminis – Linnaeus’ species name makes it sound like it feeds on grass or grains. Perhaps that is why I can’t find any information on its being considered for biological control of tansy in North America (although other chrysomelids are) and no North American records in Bienkowski’s 2001 checklist of the genus. Another rare British beetle, the Scarlet Malachite Malachius aeneus, is pretty common here, apparently accidentally introduced.