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Verkiai Regional Park is well known by many Vilnius residents and city visitors as an area on the outskirts of the city, where you can see not only the panoramas that open up, but also admire the cultural values. However, a rare visitor to the park probably knows what animals, plants, and fungi are kept in the area.
“Research has been conducted over the last decade to see if the population of shadow beetles in the area is still viable. Unfortunately, the results are not encouraging: no individuals of golden shadow beetles were found during the study period. This indicates that the abundance of the beetle population is extremely low or that the beetle has become extinct in the area. We know of the shadowy golden beetles that once lived only from historical data, “says the director of the Verkiai Regional Park. specialist, ecologist Rokas Butkus.
In the Verkiai Regional Park, next to one of the most popular places for visitors, the Verkiai Palace, there is a valuable habitat for the conservation of endangered organisms throughout Europe. The impressive slope of the Neris near Verkiai is a habitat that is included in the European List of Important Habitats (BAST). This area of importance for biodiversity aims to preserve Europe’s widest bat (Barbastella barbastellus) and the shady golden beetle (Osmoderma barnabita), as well as, of course, its own habitat, the ditch forests and slopes.
According to Dalia Bastytė-Cseh, environmental specialist at the Lithuanian Fund for Nature, director of the LIFE OSMODERMA project, the condition of the protected area was first assessed: whether the factors that caused the extinction of protected species had been eliminated. Several rare species that live in old deciduous trees, such as when the tree they live in is not in shade.
A few years ago, on the slope of the Neris near Verkiai, part of the young trees that cut down old trees were removed.
“One of the biggest problems on the Neris river slope is the stability of the old trees. Strengthening old trees, in 2020. The arboristic management of their crowns was carried out in winter. Currently, about 40 oaks and linden trees grow on the slope of the Neris near Verkiai, where it is believed that a dismal golden beetle could settle. In 2019, we prepared and coordinated with the responsible authorities the “Golden gray beetle breeding program”. In it, we contemplate the creation of a captive population of golden beetle bred in captivity (ex situ) in the Lithuanian zoo, which will be used for the restoration of populations of species in historical habitats ”, says the environmental specialist of the Lithuanian Fund for the Nature. .
“With the patience and careful work of the employees of the Lithuanian zoo, the dark-colored golden beetles are successfully bred and cultivated at the zoo in a specially equipped laboratory. The first 160 shady golden beetles in larval stage were released in Verkiai Regional Park in 2020. in the summer. To restore the population of invertebrates, especially such as the shadowy golden beetles, which have a development cycle of three years, the animals must be released for at least several consecutive years. Therefore, we plan on May 21 this year. to transfer a further 281 larval stage beetles and 80 cocoons to their semi-natural habitats, ”says D. Bastytė-Cseh.
Meanwhile, Kristina Guzaitienė, lead entomologist at the Lithuanian Zoo, was pleased with the unique experience, saying that at first it was necessary to find out what special breeding conditions are needed for captive beetles in captivity: We seem to have received a lot of information, but we were more interested in captive breeding, and it turns out that we can’t go anywhere and see the shadow gold beetle hatchling under laboratory conditions. “
The shady golden beetle is quite a mysterious beetle, so creating the right conditions for mating and reproduction was no easy task. Entomologist K. Guzaitienė said that the beetles were fed various fruits cut in the laboratory; they liked bananas and oranges better. You can learn more about the breeding of the dark-colored golden beetle in the Lithuanian Zoo in the post “Activities of the Lithuanian Zoo in 2019”.
The supervised individuals of the dark-colored golden beetle mated successfully, the females laid eggs, and the larvae successfully hatched over the winter. The adult larvae will move to a new home this year: artificial nests.
“The objective of these semi-natural habitats is to create conditions as close as possible to those of a natural grove, but they must be more accessible and adapted for the release of larvae reared in the zoo.
The nests built in the Verkiai Regional Park were filled with sawdust from deciduous trees, oak leaves and boiled tree trunks.
Slots are drilled in the roof of the nest for rainwater to enter. We hope that the relocated larvae of this rare beetle will continue to develop in the nests, and in a few years they will fly to the adjacent territories, where they will also be waiting for the natural groves of centenary trees ”, says D. Bastytė-Cseh.
R. Butkus, an ecologist at Verkiai Regional Park, also noted that since the Neris hillside area is legally protected and the habitats in it are suitable for this species, it is logical to assume that the application of certain environmental measures would restore the dismal population. of the golden beetle. : they are applied in more developed countries and the results are evident in the recovery of extinct populations, thus helping to stop the extinction of the species throughout its range ”.
It is important to remember that the dark-colored beetle is an umbrella species. Preserving their habitats will also preserve the habitats of dozens of other rare organisms. Ancient trees are like separate little ecosystems where many different species coexist.
Proper care of such trees can save not only trees, but also many rare species that sometimes we do not even notice.
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