Heather Beetle - the story so far

Thanks to ongoing support from Heather Trust members and supporters, we've now received thirty seven returns for this year's heather beetle survey, covering a combined total of more than 10,000 acres of damaged heather from Caithness to Powys. All the signs seem to suggest that this has been a seriously bad year for beetle, and several of the outbreaks have been devastating, particularly in Wales. Damage has been found in all kinds of places, from the biggest Yorkshire grouse moor to the  marginal scraps of lowland heath by the Solway Firth. Patterns emerged in Perthshire and the Pennines, with clusters of damage which become obvious when seen on our MAP.

This information feeds into our wider research about heather beetle, and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has taken the time to respond, either by survey form or by phone. Working closely with the Moorland Association, we were interested in the additional information provided by the expanded survey return form, which sought another level of detail on some outbreaks in Northern England.

The expanded survey form looked at several aspects of heather beetle damage, but there was a particular focus on re-wetting and signs that beetle outbreaks might worsened by wetter moors. It was very interesting to explore this theme with some active case studies, and intriguing to find that there was no obvious link between wetter ground and the distribution of beetle damage. Some of the worst outbreaks took place on dry ground this year, and it is hard to correlate indications of wetness with severity of damage. Of course wet conditions may have a direct impact on the rate and quality of heather regeneration in the aftermath of an outbreak, and we are keen to monitor this in the coming months.

In the meantime, if you have found signs of heather beetle damage on your ground this year, please let the Heather Trust know by downloading the Survey Form - we cannot carry out this work without your help, so all survey forms are extremely important to us!

Heather Beetle 2017

Heather beetle grubs feeding on heather

With heather now growing fast and plants beginning to show the first signs of budding flowers, now is the time to look out for beetle damage. If you notice signs of ill-looking or tatty heather over the next few weeks, you may have been the victim of heather beetle. Look out for patches or swathes of reddish heather, and keep an eye on areas which do not come into flower - heather beetles damage heather plants and dehydrate them, leading to a red discolouration which is often the easiest way to spot the areas where they have been most active. View our guide to identifying beetle damage for more detail.

By the time you notice damaged heather, most of the harm has already been done. Heather beetle larvae feed voraciously on growing heather stems, and their activity peaks in June and July. It is quite possible to suffer from extensive beetle damage without ever seeing a beetle or a larvae, and the little creatures can be hard to find without a trained eye. By the time that heather turns red, many of the culprits will have dropped off the heather plants to pupate in the moss underlayer, and heather beetle is often misdiagnosed because there are no obvious signs of the beetles or grubs themselves. The Heather Trust can usually confirm heather beetle damage from photographs, so if you see damaged heather and would like to find out more, let us know!

The Heather Trust has been leading the way on heather beetle in Britain over the past ten years. Our Heather Beetle Survey is the only one of its kind, gathering information on outbreaks and remedial work from Cornwall to Caithness. We're always interested to hear if you think you have been affected by heather beetle, so why not visit our dedicated heather beetle info page and download a survey form. We have received hundreds of survey returns over the past decade, and we're now starting to see trends and patterns in how outbreaks work, but the picture is still incomplete and requires further support and input.

Heather beetle damage will often restore itself - after all, heather beetles are part of a natural mechanism and have been eating heather for thousands of years. We are interested in these pests because we believe that there is increasingly evidence to show that recurring, cyclical outbreaks can destroy heather across massive areas, and the follow-up management which takes place after heather has been damaged can have a significant impact on how successful regeneration will be. Grazing patterns and heather management techniques can all have a part to play in restoring damaged heather, and this is where our research has been based in unique studies at Langholm Moor and in the Derbyshire Peak District.

To find out more about our work on heather beetle, why not browse our online resources or get in touch with us direct?

Golden Plover Winners 2017!

Fearann Eilean Iarmain on the Isle of Skye is winner of 2017 Golden Plover Award

(left to right) Adam Smith (GWCT Director Scotland), Simon Thorp (Heather Trust Director), Scott MacKenzie and Craig Jackson (FEI Gamekeepers) and Michael Yellowlees (Head of Rural Services, Lindsays)

Golden Plover Award 2017 winners Fearann Eilean Iarmain were celebrated at a special event laid on by Lindsays at the Scottish Game Fair on Friday. The Skye estate saw off tough competition from two other finalists to win the award, which is jointly run by The Heather Trust, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Scotland.

The Golden Plover Award is held each year to celebrate the very best of progressive, innovative upland management in Scotland, with a particular emphasis on balance and integration. Now in its fifth year, the Award was given a geographical theme in 2017, and applicants were sought from across the north Highlands and West Coast, including the Hebrides. There was a good level of interest from across the Gàidhealtachd, and the judges honed down the applicants to a final shortlist of three, with site visits carried out earlier in June.

Ferrann Eilean Iarmain (pronounced “Ferran Ellen Ear-man”), extends through the parishes of Sleat and Strath  in the southern part of Skye and is based around a network of crofts, farms and hill ground with extensive areas of regenerated and native woodland. It is home to a wide variety of birdlife including breeding populations of hen harrier, greenshank, curlew, golden plover and white tailed as well as golden eagles, and work is actively undertaken to promote the conservation of many ground nesting bird species.​

Tenant farmers and crofters maintain numbers of hill sheep and conduct muirburn in a co-operative arrangement designed to benefit all stakeholders. Cutting heather has been put forward as an alternative to burning where appropriate, particularly in the areas where blanket bog could be sensitive to burning. In keeping with Sir Iain Noble’s vision when he arrived on Skye in 1972, Fearann Eilean Iarmain is committed to supporting and growing the local economy and in particular the Gaelic community through the provision of year round employment and career opportunities as well as continuing Sir Iain’s projects to develop affordable housing. A whisky company with international distribution, two small hotels of character and an art gallery are also part of Fearann Eilean Iarmain, with a new gin distillation project currently being developed, providing further new jobs.  Fearann Eilean Iarmain continues with further business initiatives as well as developing a range of sustainable enterprises, which balance and complement one another.

The competition was extremely close and both runners-up were highly commended. Reay Forest in Sutherland is a traditional deer stalking estate that has made major investments and progress in renewable energy. The judges were impressed with the wealth of knowledge on the estate, and were encouraged by future plans for peatland management being considered as part of a Carbon Action Plan. Meanwhile, Ardnamurchan Estate on the West Coast has established a reputation for innovative deer management, and has been closely involved in the development of wildlife tourism in the area.

Having been presented with a print by the celebrated wildlife artist Colin Woolf, Fearann Eilean Iarmain gamekeeper Scott McKenzie commented on how important the award was to the estate. “It’s a real recognition of all our hard work”, he said. “We’ve got a great set-up at Eilean Iarmain, and we’re always trying new things. This award goes to show what can be achieved when you work together, and we hope the Golden Plover will help to really put us on the map for the future”. 

THE GOLDEN PLOVER AWARD 2017

THE GOLDEN PLOVER AWARD 2017

The Heather Trust and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have announced the finalists for 2017’s Golden Plover Award for Moorland Management, sponsored by Lindsays.

The Award is presented annually to recognise progressive, practical and sustainable moorland management in Scotland, and the process is open to estates, farms, individuals and syndicates who have “gone the extra mile” for our hills

This year, the award has focused on the north and west of Scotland, appealing to landholdings that have shown a dedicated level of commitment to integrated land use, and this has taken the award into new and exciting terrain. After several years in the eastern Highlands, 2017’s applicants embraced diverse issues such as upland fisheries, rural employment, conservation, peatland, deer management and crofting.

There was a great deal of interest in 2017’s award, but the judges have identified three finalists who will now progress to the next stage. Ardnamurchan is a ten thousand hectare sporting estate on the west coast with a balanced approach to deer management, agriculture and tourism, while Reay Forest lies in Sutherland and has established a strong reputation for carefully integrated work between interests such as conservation, deer stalking and renewable energy. The third finalist is Fearann Eilean Iarmain, a stunning estate on the Isle of Skye which links traditional land management with crofting, a distillery and support for a thriving gaelic culture.

Speaking about the next stage of 2017's Golden Plover Award, Heather Trust Director Simon Thorp said “We had some really positive interest in the Award this year from estates and projects in the north highlands and up and down the west coast. We believe we've chosen a strong, diverse spread of applicants to go forward as finalists, and we look forward to learning more about their work in the next few weeks".

Head of Rural Services at Lindsays Michael Yellowlees added: “We are delighted to be supporting the Golden Plover Award again this year and to see such progressive work being recognized on estates across this area.

“We are particularly interested in the focus of this years’ award given our longstanding relationships with clients in the Highlands and Islands.  Before the Second World War Lindsays acted as factors and solicitors for numerous landed estate clients in that area and in the post-war era served these clients through the West Highlands Estates Office in Fort William.  The firm continues to provide legal services to many of the same estates.”

Site visits will take place in May and June, and judge Adam Smith, Director Scotland, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust added was looking forward to heading out on the road. He said “All those on the shortlist have a strong case to be the Golden Plover winner this year, but there can only be one that takes the prize. This award continues to go from strength to strength and we look forward to announcing the result for 2017 on 30 June”.

The 2016 Award was won by the Hopes Estate in the Lammermuir Hills, and previous winners have included Finzean Estate near Banchory, Mar near Braemar and Edinglassie on Donside.  

Country Market & Sporting Sale 2017

The Heather Trust's Country Market & Sporting Sale closed last week after some exciting bidding wars. We'd like to thank everybody who helped make the sale such a success in 2017, and although payments are still coming in, we're on course to raise over £29,000 - all funds which will go towards supporting the Trust's important work across the U.K.

The Prize Draw took place immediately after the Sale, and the winner was named as Ronnie Graham, who can now look forward to a luxury trip to Kelso Racecourse, including accommodation at the Roxburghe Hotel and the use of a chauffeured vintage car on the day.

A few unsold Lots will be available to buy on the Auction website until Friday 19th May, and we can still accept cash donations from any latecomers.

Plans are already afoot for 2018, but there would be no Sale at all without generous backing from members and supporters alike - thanks again, and we're looking forward to next year!

Country Market & Sporting Sale 2017!

The Heather Trust's Country Market & Sporting Sale has returned for 2017, and we're excited to see some competitive bidding on a range of great Lots from our generous supporters. Some of the most popular Lots so far have been a day's Walked-up Grouse in Northumberland and a Box of Hebridean Lamb from Perthshire. Alongside some our old favourites which have featured in the Sale before, several Lots are new this year, including a Dog Portrait by Flora Blackett and a Shooting Lesson at Raehills estate.

After three successful years, the Prize Draw returns in 2017 with the chance to win an exciting day for four at Kelso Racecourse, including luxury accommodation at the Roxburghe Hotel and chauffeur transport in a gorgeous 1952 Bentley. Tickets cost £10 and can be bought on the auction website - you've got to be in it to win it!

The Sale generates important income for the Trust's work across the UK, and we wouldn't be able to continue supporting moorland management without the funds raised during the auction. Why don't you get involved!

Heather Beetle 2017!

An adult heather beetle

With warmer days and rising temperatures, heather beetles have been on the move. Dry conditions have helped to create the right conditions for heather burning, but beetles have been conspicuous as they begin to emerge from hibernation and start to disperse across open ground. We usually receive our first reports of beetles "out and about" in late March and early April, and some dispersals can be extremely dramatic. In previous years, gamekeepers have reported plagues of beetles which are so dense that they have had to use windscreen wipers on their vehicles in order to see where they're going. These are extreme cases, and most beetle dispersals will be subtle affairs as adults begin to search for breeding grounds and mates. The Trust's Project Manager Patrick Laurie saw a few beetles  on Sunday 26th, and it's not surprising that small numbers of these native insects should be moving around at this time of year.

The majority of beetle damage is caused in midsummer when beetle larvae emerge from their eggs and start to feed on fresh heather growth. Serious problems can be caused at this stage, and while a good deal of heather will simply regenerate and come back in subsequent years, extreme cases can result in the total death and destruction of thousands of acres of heather in a single season. When beetle attacks become cyclical, they can result in the total and permanent loss of heather coverage, and the Heather Trust believes that beetles may have been the driving force behind heather loss in some wetter western areas where damaged heather is easily over-grown by invasive grasses.

The Heather Trust has led the way on research into heather beetle for the past ten years, running the only national survey of beetle damage and funding important research into heather restoration after beetle outbreaks. We'd be very interested to hear from you if you see beetles dispersing this spring or if you've witnessed beetle damage in the past - let us know, view our previous surveys and find out more about heather beetles on our heather beetle page.

Heather Cutting in Practice

Cutting heather with a mini-tractor and flail

As the heather management season is now upon us, conditions have been perfect in many parts of the UK for burning. Near the Heather Trust's offices in Dumfries and Galloway, conditions have been wet for several weeks, and despite a few drying days at the start of March, the hills are decidedly soggy. When the conditions are right, burning is a crucial asset to have in the moorland management toolbox, but if the last few years are anything to go by in Western Scotland, things have been getting wetter and less conducive to fires.

Part of the answer is to cut heather rather than burn it, and it was very satisfying to visit work undertaken by Heather Trust members Lawrence and Penny McNaught this afternoon on an area of heather ground near Dumfries. Even if the weather had been perfect, the hill is surrounded on three sides by commercial forestry, and there would be legitimate concerns about fires in this kind of ground considering that much of the heather is long, rank and could burn extremely vigorously in the wrong conditions.

The Heather Trust has been focussing on heather cutting for the past four years, and we produced a Briefing on the key considerations relating to mechanical management. Certain types of cutting were particularly suited to this ground, and we were happy to provide advice and support in the autumn when plans were being made. Contractors arrived yesterday and made impressive progress putting cuts onto the hill with a small tractor and a flail mulcher. The small tractor was crucial to gain access through wet fields without causing too much damage, and the speed with which the flail cut through the heather made up for the narrow width of each pass.

This work is being driven by a desire to improve the sporting assets of the hill, which once was renowned for its grouse. Nowadays there are not enough to support even a symbolic harvest, so it is hoped that this investment and effort will be repaid in a brace or two of walked up grouse on the Glorious Twelfth. The work should also benefit a small but strategically significant population of black grouse and could also be of use to ring ousels which have declined dramatically in Galloway over the past fifty years.

The Heather Trust is always keen to provide advice and support to projects both great and small, and we believe that integrated, balanced management can tick multiple boxes, from sport and conservation to agriculture and tourism. We wish the McNaughts well with their project, and we look forward to catching up with them again soon!

Golden Plover Award 2017 - Apply Now!

The Golden Plover judges are now looking for new applicants to get involved in 2017's Award!

If you are part of a thriving upland business, farm, croft or estate which balances a number of different land uses, The Heather Trust and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust would love to hear from you!

You might be a crofter involved in peatland conservation or a forester balancing livestock with tourism - it doesn't matter how big or small your project is, the award is seeking people who can demonstrate a genuine passion for Scotland's uplands, along with a dedication to getting the best out of balanced management.

In previous years, the Golden Plover Award has been based on themes like sheep farming and peatland, but 2017's Award has a particular focus on the north west Highlands, west of the Great Glen and down into Argyllshire and Bute, including the Hebrides. This covers a fantastically broad and diverse area of Scotland, embracing new and exciting terrain for an award which has until now been based largely in the east.

If you would like to take part in the Golden Plover Award 2017, or if you know someone who would, find out more at www.goldenploveraward.co.uk, where there application forms are available to download until the end of February.