South East Water has been working with Natural England to protect two endangered native species -the wart-biter cricket  and the Great Crested Newt.

The wart-biter cricket – which gets its name from the ancient Swedish medical practice of using them to eat skin warts – was once found across southern England. Now one of Britain’s most endangered insects, their numbers have declined so dramatically they are now found only in five locations, three in Sussex.

Thanks to a working group led by Natural England, together with South East Water and environment organisation Buglife, the rare species of cricket is set to be reintroduced into a carefully-created habitat around Deep Dean Water Treatment Works, in East Sussex. It has taken more than 20 years to make sure the site is suitable for the crickets which need a particular kind of habitat which includes bare ground, short turf and taller clumps of grass.

Wart-biter numbers have declined as a result of habitat destruction, loss of suitable grassland and unsuitable grazing regimes. They are considered to be endangered in the UK, and the threat they could die out remains. Thanks to an intensive captive breeding programme by London Zoo and partnerships with environmental groups, landowners and farmers, the cricket now has a brighter future.

South East Water’s Environmental Manager Emma Goddard said:

“To be able to release wart biter crickets at Deep Dean is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are honoured to be able to play host to such a prestigious project. We have worked in partnership with other organisations and individuals over a long period of time to get to this point. We are all very pleased to be playing a part in saving the cricket from the very real prospect of extinction.”

DNA testing used to locate Great Crested Newts

In a separate conservation initiative, the water company has turned detective using DNA testing to find out if there are Great Crested Newts in ponds close to its construction sites As a protected species, it is illegal to capture or kill or disturb its habitat. South East Water puts a lot of time and effort into detecting Great Crested Newts a task which has now become much easier thanks to a new sampling technique.

Ecologists from the water company collect a single water sample from newt-friendly locations where the company is planning pipe-laying or maintenance work. This is tested for the amphibians’ DNA, allowing South East Water to put in specialised newt protection measures.

Previously, ecologists had to visit a construction site at least four nights in a row, checking for eggs, setting bottle traps and searching for the newts under torchlight.

Steve Newman, Lead Environmental Engineer at South East Water, said:

“We have carried out 40 surveys using this new technique. It is much less invasive to the wildlife as we can collect the sample from the bank instead of going into the water, which also means our ecologists are at less risk too.”

“In addition we have found it is saving us both money and time – from less employee man hours to only having to put up protective newt fencing when we know the creatures are there.”

Pete Brotherton, Natural England’s Director for Specialist Services and Programmes, said:

“We’re delighted that South East Water is already seeing benefits from this ground-breaking technique, which Natural England approved for use just last year.”

“Detecting Great Crested Newts more easily and cheaply is good for business, while also making it easier to monitor and conserve this threatened species, so this is good news for the newts too.”