Lord Howe Island Got Rid Of Rats & Mice; Now Native Invertebrates Roaring Back, 1/2 Found Nowhere Else On Earth

[hatrack]

In the summer months, Lord Howe Island’s unique stag beetle, with wing cases that appear forged from iridescent green metal, fly around the ancient tree tops looking for a mate. “That’s really something wonderful,” said Ian Hutton, a naturalist and nature guide on the World Heritage-listed island. “I would have struggled to have seen any of them 10 years ago.”

Lord Howe Island, which lies 600km off Australia’s east coast, was formed by the 7-million-year-old remains of a volcano. Its craggy and beautiful 15 sq km are crammed with a treasure trove of unique plants and animals. And, in recent years, a lot more bugs.

The rise in the island’s invertebrates – beetles, weevils, bush cockroaches and other bugs – has come after a campaign seven years ago to rid the island of about 300,000 invasive rats and mice.

Now a study in the journal Biological Invasions has found the island’s bugs are bouncing back since the 2019 eradication program.“Across our sites we found a 60% increase in the total numbers of invertebrates,” said Maxim Adams, a researcher at the University of Sydney.“I think that’s pretty extraordinary but it’s something we had a feeling for. Walking around Lord Howe now … all of us are blown away by what we’re seeing.”

EDIT

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/may/27/lord-howe-island-got-rid-of-its-rats-and-mice-now-cockroaches-and-bugs-are-bouncing-back

[Botany]

1. The removal of non native invasive species is very important. Good to see a success story.

N/t

[KPN]

2. Not the best of thoughts, but this made me think how much

more wonderful our planet may possibly become when humans are gone.

And then I supposed it all depends on whether AI survives and, in that case, how thoughtful and wise AI robots are about the planet if they even value life in any form at all.

Geesh, what a way to wake up in the morning.