Stag beetles sightings plea for Upton upon Severn

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust issued the appeal for Upton upon Severn

People are being urged to report sightings of stag beetles in a Worcestershire town.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust issued the appeal for Upton upon Severn as their existence "is globally threatened" and "they're a key species for the county".

The stag beetles measure 2.7in (7cm) to 3.15in (8cm).

The trust said people should contact Worcestershire Biological Records Centre with news of sightings.

Upton upon Severn was "a county hotspot" for stag beetles, the trust said.

Steve Bloomfield, conservation officer for the trust, said: "We're really lucky to have these marvellous insects in Upton - Worcestershire is at the northern edge of their range.

"They're protected in the UK and their existence is globally threatened so they're a key species for the county.

"The trust did a lot of work in Upton about 12 years ago to help raise awareness of the beetles and we'd really like to know how numbers are doing now."

Mr Bloomfield said beetle numbers had been threatened by parks and gardens being tidied up meaning there were less rotting timber and log piles for the insects to breed in.