Specieswatch: the necklace ground beetle – an endangered and flightless friend to farmers

England is one of the last strongholds of this beautiful insect but it is at risk due to excessive pesticide use

Organic farming is probably the best hope for the survival of one of Britain's least known but valuable wild creatures, the necklace ground beetle, Carabus monilis.

Once widespread but now on the red list as endangered because of excessive pesticide use and changing farming practices, it needs help to survive. Since it eats many insects that feed on farm crops and the seeds of weeds that farmers want to control any help it gets to thrive will be richly rewarded.