The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) has begun a project to bring back three rare species once common on the region’s peat bogs: the large heath butterfly, bog bush cricket and white-faced darter dragonfly.
These insects, all dependent on lowland peatlands, disappeared as 96% of the habitat in Lancashire and Greater Manchester was lost to human activity. LWT has been restoring these areas by rebuilding water systems and replanting specialist vegetation and is now appealing for £20,000 to complete the project.
The trust highlighted the ecological roles of these species: the butterfly pollinates plants, the cricket breaks down plant matter and feeds birds, and the dragonfly controls smaller insect populations.
Senior nature recovery officer Dr Matt McMullen said the species would struggle to recover unaided and that restored habitats, combined with public support, are key to their return.
