The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Chesapeake Bay Field Office unveiled a new Puritan Tiger Beetle Web site in response to the increased interest from local communities. As previously reported on TheBAYNET.com, the federally protected Puritan Tiger Beetle has effectively prevented home owners along the cliffs in Calvert County from attempting to save their homes from cliff erosion.
The website provides information about the life cycle of the beetle, the science used to assess threats to their existence and the status of the species. It also provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding this critical issue.
According to the press release, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as well as other state and local agencies to explore a variety of solutions that would protect both the endangered beetle and the community. As home owners look to find solutions to stop the natural cliff erosion, it is pointed out that development and stabilization projects are the most serious threats to the beetles.
The website states that shoreline stabilization structures are designed to minimize erosion at the base of the bluff. This may be beneficial to the home owner as over time this method will stabilize the slopes, making them less steep and vegetated, however, the cliffs will then become unsuitable for the beetles.
Why are the Puritan tiger beetles important?
It’s all about the ecosystem. According to the website, plants and invertebrates, like insects, make up the vast majority of life here on earth. Without these groups, it points out that ecosystems would collapse.
What about the Puritan Tiger Beetles specifically?
The website notes that these beetles are a key predator in its cliff habitat and is preyed upon by other insects and birds. It also states that their presence has protected the existence of natural cliffs and therefore has protected the habitat of King Fishers, Bank Swallows, and many insect species.
Regarding the suggestion of relocating the beetles, the website offers several facts. There has been no success introducing the adult beetles to a new site. The beetles along the Chesapeake Bay are genetically different from the species found in New England and use different habitat types. Translocations have been conducted with larval beetles, but it is noted that it is impractical to collect large numbers of larvae from deep burrows located in high cliffs.
One thing is certain. Whether the beetle issue is resolved or not, the cliffs will continue to erode. Regardless of where you stand on this complex issue, one has to wonder what affect the erosion will have on the quality of the Chesapeake Bay if these homes along with their septic systems fall into the bay.
For more details and information on the scientific studies, go to www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay.
