New pine hoverfly Conservation Strategy leads the way in protecting one of Britain’s most endangered insects - Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and its partners have launched the first-ever Pine Hoverfly Conservation Strategy, a landmark plan designed to safeguard one of Britain’s most endangered native species and restore the health of the native woodland ecosystems it calls home.
The strategy, developed by the Pine Hoverfly Steering Group as part of the Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms (RIC) project, sets out a coordinated, science-led approach focused on breeding, habitat restoration, identification of suitable release sites, post-release monitoring and securing ongoing project funding. This comprehensive plan aims to reverse the decline of the pine hoverfly, an insect that plays a crucial role as both pollinator and decomposer in Scotland’s forest environments.
Dr Helen Taylor, conservation programme manager at RZSS, said, “The Pine Hoverfly Conservation Strategy is a major milestone. It provides a clear roadmap for improving the long-term prospects of this species and highlights the importance of a collaborative effort across multiple organisations to maximise chances of conservation success. Having a clear strategy is recognised as a key step in reversing the decline of threatened species and is a key part of the work that RZSS is involved in. By focusing in tandem on habitat restoration and conservation breeding for release, we’re not just saving a single insect, we’re helping to support the entire woodland ecosystem. These tiny hoverflies are fantastic flagships for the connected, diverse Scots pine forests that so many of our other native species rely on.”
A key component of this strategy will continue to be the yearly release of thousands of pine hoverflies from the RZSS conservation breeding programme into protected habitats at RSPB Scotland’s Abernethy nature reserve, Forestry and Land Scotland’s Glenmore Forest Park and Anagach Woodland Trust’s woods. Further releases are planned over the summer to strengthen these reintroduced populations and expansion into other sites in the future will be important in achieving the partnership’s goals.
Posted On: 25/06/2025
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