Beetlejuice

Forest of Bowland Moorland Group

Heather beetle is a widespread and common insect found across Britain. The larve (and to a lesser extent, the adults) feed on the heather plant which damages the heather turning beautiful purple blooms to a dull reddish brown as the heather plant dies.

Heather moorland is rarer that rainforest and although it may seem counterintuitive, one way of controlling heather beetle larve and removing dead and damaged heather and allowing new heather to regenerate is by having controlled, quick and cool burns across the moorland.

All the evidence is pointing to heather beetle becoming more widespread across the country but especially prevalent in the west of the country.