News: December 2003

A survey by the National Trust of the wildlife found within its gardens has turned up some rarities.

The latest unexpected find was a species of beetle new to Britain. Hypseloecus visci was previously only known from France and Germany. It is a small black beetle which feeds on the sap of mistletoe (Visum album). This is just one of three species new to Great Britain found in National Trust gardens this year. Matthew Oates, the Trust's nature conservation adviser said, 'Most of the gardens surveyed turned up as many rare insects as the average small nature reserve - some were even better! This is clear evidence that a wealth of weird, wonderful and new wildlife lurks undiscovered in our gardens.'

National Trust. 2003. Bug in love with mistletoe. Viewed on the web at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/webpack/bin/webpack.exe/livebase?object=LiveBase1&itemurn=1479&mode=wbFullItem on December 27th 2003.