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Rare insect found safe on beach | |
(about 10 hours later) | |
One of the UK's rarest insects has been found after going missing on a Devon beach where debris from the grounded cargo ship MSC Napoli was washed up. | One of the UK's rarest insects has been found after going missing on a Devon beach where debris from the grounded cargo ship MSC Napoli was washed up. |
Branscombe beach was littered with the ship's containers and their contents after it was beached in January 2007. | Branscombe beach was littered with the ship's containers and their contents after it was beached in January 2007. |
The National Trust was concerned for the survival of the scaly cricket, which is found at only three UK sites. | The National Trust was concerned for the survival of the scaly cricket, which is found at only three UK sites. |
However, the trust has rediscovered the cricket - using bait including a Cornish pasty to tempt it into traps. | However, the trust has rediscovered the cricket - using bait including a Cornish pasty to tempt it into traps. |
National Trust property manager for Dartmoor, Adrian Colston, had drawn a blank after walking along the shingle beach trying to find the cricket. | National Trust property manager for Dartmoor, Adrian Colston, had drawn a blank after walking along the shingle beach trying to find the cricket. |
So he changed his tactics and set five traps using cat biscuits, pieces of apple and bits of a Cornish pasty as bait. | So he changed his tactics and set five traps using cat biscuits, pieces of apple and bits of a Cornish pasty as bait. |
The MSC Napoli was beached off the Devon coast in January 2007 | |
When he returned he was delighted to find that one of the traps contained a single adult female scaly cricket. | When he returned he was delighted to find that one of the traps contained a single adult female scaly cricket. |
"This rediscovery has come as a real relief and it is likely a healthy population of scaly crickets can still be found on Branscombe beach," he said. | "This rediscovery has come as a real relief and it is likely a healthy population of scaly crickets can still be found on Branscombe beach," he said. |
"They are notoriously difficult to find and their location away from the main site of the Napoli activity certainly helped increase the likelihood that they would survive." | "They are notoriously difficult to find and their location away from the main site of the Napoli activity certainly helped increase the likelihood that they would survive." |
Normally found in the Mediterranean, the scaly cricket was first discovered at Branscombe in 1998. | Normally found in the Mediterranean, the scaly cricket was first discovered at Branscombe in 1998. |
The nocturnal insect measures between 8mm (0.3in) and 13mm (0.5in) and feeds on general waste. It is also found at Chesil beach in Dorset and Marloe Sands in Pembrokeshire. | The nocturnal insect measures between 8mm (0.3in) and 13mm (0.5in) and feeds on general waste. It is also found at Chesil beach in Dorset and Marloe Sands in Pembrokeshire. |
The 62,000-tonne Napoli was deliberately grounded after being holed by storms off the Lizard. Its crew of 26 was rescued by Royal Navy helicopters. | The 62,000-tonne Napoli was deliberately grounded after being holed by storms off the Lizard. Its crew of 26 was rescued by Royal Navy helicopters. |
Thousands of scavengers swarmed to the beach when 50 of its containers were washed ashore. | Thousands of scavengers swarmed to the beach when 50 of its containers were washed ashore. |
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