A TINY species of fly which lived during the Ice Age has been discovered living in a loch in the Highlands.
Affectionately known as the Arctic Wave Dancer, the fly was found at the Mar Lodge Estate National Nature Reserve by a team from The National Trust for Scotland (NTS).
The team from NTS is celebrating the discovery of the rare and threatened Wiedemmania simplex species as they can only be found in cold, deep, and pure water – making the Cairngorms’ high-altitude lochs a suitable home for them.
The search for the species was undertaken by entomologist Iain MacGowan and staff at the NTS in July last year as they found the Arctic Wave Dancer on the edges of Lochain Uaine, where it has never been recorded before.
MacGowan said the species is on the “front line” when it comes to the challenges of climate change due to there being only a few of the high-altitude lochs in the country.
“Although it’s small, this fly is of enormous importance to the Cairngorms and the wider British Isles,” he said.
“Living on only a few of the high-altitude lochs, it is on the front line when it comes to meeting the challenge of climate change.
“Finding it at its highest-level site, 950m at Lochan Uaine, will hopefully ensure that the populations will be better able to withstand the effects of a warming climate.
“We must continue to monitor this iconic species and carry out further surveys of other potential sites.”
The Arctic Wave Dancer has a short adult life span in the summer months and can be found clinging to the verges of rocks along with displaying its courtship dance.
MacGowan (below) and the NTS team found the species on granite boulders at Lochain Uaine, around 950 meters high in the shadow of Ben Macdui.
The three lochs in the Cairngorms are the only known sites for the fly in the UK with Finland, Norway, and Russia being the next nearest areas.
MacGowan initially rediscovered the species at Loch Avon in 2018 and was also later found at Loch Etchachan in 2020 on the Mar Lodge Estate.
The Arctic Wave Dancer is one of the species most at risk from climate change due to the specific cold-water temperatures required for the species to thrive.
Andrew Painting, conservation officer at the Mar Lodge Estate, said: “The Arctic Wave Dancer lives in about as remote and challenging an environment as you can find in Scotland.
“Finding it at a new site was a wonderful surprise and is a testament to the hard work and skill of dedicated entomologists.
“Our charity is responsible for protecting the nature in our care and the discovery of one of Britain’s rarest species at Mar Lodge Estate is evidence of nature’s resilience and the importance of our conservation work.
“Every species we protect is a step towards safeguarding Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage for everyone.”
