Buglife is a conservation organisation dedicated to the protection of invertebrates and their habitats. It focuses on various conservation efforts, including habitat protection and species recovery. An important part of its work is raising public awareness about the ecological importance of invertebrates.
Invertebrates are vitally important to a healthy planet
Invertebrates are facing an extinction crisis with abundance surveys showing a fall of 0ver 75% in the past 20 years. Invertebrates are vitally important to a healthy planet – humans and other life forms could not survive without them. The food we eat, the fish we catch, the birds we see, the flowers we smell and the hum of life we hear, simply would not exist without bugs.
Focus on projects, campaigns, research
Buglife operates various projects and more than 12 campaigns at a time. They collaborate with partners and stakeholders, and engage in research to support invertebrate populations. Examples include, warning against the harmful effects on insects of light pollution, campaigning against development such as the Norwich Western link road, harmful to habitats, or the Ardeer Peninsula in Ayrshire, where a mosaic of dune habitats, a haven for bees, is under threat from development. And their own overarching No Insectstinction campaign advises on how we can deal with the increasing population crises faced by insects. Buglife also provides extensive resources for education and community involvement in invertebrate conservation.
B-Lines
Buglife not only focuses on the conservation of invertebrates but also actively engages in creating and maintaining B-Lines. B-Lines is an award-winning initiative to create a strategic network of wildlife corridors aiming to help bees and other pollinators. These corridors are essential for the movement of species across increasingly fragmented landscapes, facilitating breeding and foraging.
Buglife’s projects often involve restoring wildflower habitats which are crucial for pollinators.
Above, B-line map (detail) and section detail showing B-lines across part of North-West Norfolk near King’s Lynn
Raising awareness of threats to invertebrate species
They also work on various campaigns to raise awareness about the threats to invertebrate species such as habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Their efforts are crucial in promoting sustainable environments where invertebrates can thrive. Buglife became a good friend and collaborator with GroundWork Gallery during the exhibition Bugs Beauty and Danger in 2020.
