One of Britain’s most endangered insects is being rehomed by South East Water, Natural England and Buglife.

The project presents an example of a company using its resources more effectively by aligning with is corporate purpose. The facilities required are nearly unique to such utility suppliers, allowing Natural England to reintroduce the rare insect into new habitat around the Deep Dean Water Treatment Works in East Sussex. It has taken more than 20 years to make the site is suitable given the need for a very precise set of environmental factors.

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.”

In a three-way partnership, Natural England, Buglife and South-East Water helped deliver the expertise, work on the ground and facilities that will allow the insect to recover from near extinction.

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. But their numbers have declined so dramatically, they are now found only in five locations, three in Sussex.

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