An extremely rare insect has been spotted for the first time in nearly two decades.
The Fen Mason Wasp, considered extinct in Britain until its rediscovery in 1986, has been recorded at Essex Wildlife Trust’s Howlands Marsh nature reserve in St Osyth—marking its first sighting in Essex in 17 years.
Harry Witts, ecologist at Essex Wildlife Trust, said: "It is fantastic news that Essex supports a population of this incredibly rare wasp.
"Don’t worry, this wasp isn’t going to be interested in your jam sandwiches – it has incredibly specific tastes.
"Mother wasps will only feed their young larvae one species of weevil, which only feeds on two species of wetland plant in the carrot family.
"The mothers are very dedicated, they will carry weevil larvae back to their nests and build up a stock to feed their young throughout their juvenile stage, until they can pupate and metamorphose into adults."
The Fen Mason Wasp is globally rare, with the nearest populations outside the UK found in Poland and Estonia.
Adults are smaller than the common wasp, mostly black with creamy stripes and orange legs.
They are harmless to humans.
The species relies on coastal grazing marsh and fen habitats, where the wasp builds a ‘chimney’ of mud above the entrance to their burrow.
Fen Mason Wasps are considered an indicator of high-quality wetland environments due to their specific habitat needs.
Matthew Twydell, senior ranger at Essex Wildlife Trust, said: "Keeping wetlands in good enough condition to support such special species is hard work.
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"Because so much of our countryside has been drained and otherwise unsympathetically managed, rare insect species associated with shallow wetlands are often reliant on targeted work such as ditch dredging, in addition to grazing by cattle."
The wasps were found in a recently dredged area of the reserve.
Essex Wildlife Trust now plans to adapt ditch management in the area to encourage the right mix of plants and habitat for the species.
Mr Witts said: "I knew Fen Mason Wasps were recorded in the area nearly 20 years ago, but to find that it is still surviving here is very exciting.
"It goes to show that Essex’s grazing marshes are extremely special."
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