A tiny water beetle has put Angus on the map after popping up again almost 20 years after being found there.
At just under a couple of millimetres in length, Hydroporus scalesianus could be almost impossible to find.
But experts have discovered the beetle in bogland at Balgavies Loch Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve east of Forfar.
It’s the only place in Scotland the beetle has been found.
The beetle is so rare it is on an international list of vulnerable species.
2004 find
The miniscule insect is a distinctive ochre colour with antennae that darken towards the tips.
The initial discovery was made in fen carr woodland of Fonah Bog near Letham back in 2004.
Professor Garth Foster of the Aquatic Coleoptera Conservation Trust made the find.
Last year, Professor Foster and Rachel Mackay-Austin returned to Fonah to survey the bog and find out whether the beetle was still surviving.
Their work included taking environmental DNA sample to see whether the beetle’s presence could be detected in the water.
And on their third survey visit they miraculously found two specimens to confirm the enigmatic little creature is still living there.
Osprey breeding site
Balgavies is a popular reserve, particularly with raptor enthusiasts.
This week, three osprey chicks were ringed in only the second operation of its kind since 2012.
“It’s not just the ospreys that draw wildlife enthusiasts to Balgavies Loch,” said an SWT spokesperson.
“There is a considerably smaller resident lurking amongst the submerged stems of bogbean and bog myrtle that aquatic coleopterists would consider equally special.
“At barely 2 mm in size, the tiny water beetle Hydroporus scalesianus is easily overlooked.
“It is associated with ancient sites, relict fen and kettleholes with acidic conditions.
“It’s classified as a Red Data Book 2 vulnerable species, due to its extremely localised and peculiar distribution.”
That list is an international collection of more than 40,000 species threatened with extinction.
It ranges from the Wandering Albatross and magnificent European Bison to the tiny Angus creature.
“This site will continue to be monitored to increase our understanding of it and best site management practices,” SWT said.