An ecologist studying at Manchester Metropolitan University is calling on the people of St Neots to help uncover the travel habits of hoverflies.
Stuart Elsom, 47, also an MSc student, is hoping to study how far the insects travel from a plot just south of the town, and to see whether any end up in domestic gardens.
The hoverflies, of which there are several different species, will be colour marked and anyone who spots one is asked to take a picture.
All correspondence will be acknowledged in the final report, submitted on September 30, with groups like Wildlife Trusts BCN hoping to use it as a habitat management tool.
Nancy Reed, senior reserves manager of the Wildlife Trusts BCN, said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing the results of this study, as it will help us better manage the nature reserve and also increase our understanding of how wildlife uses the countryside.”
It’s hoped that several hundred hoverflies will be caught and colour marked for the study.
Stuart Elsom added: “Wildlife corridors extend well beyond the boundaries of nature reserves and into our own lives and gardens. This research will tell us so much about how wildlife is using our natural spaces. All sightings and records from residents are therefore essential to the success of this research, in showing us the bigger picture”
If you spot any hoverflies in your garden, send a picture to stuart.m.elsom@stu.mmu.ac.uk.
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