Chlorochroa juniperina
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - true bug (Hemiptera) > Shield bug or ally |
| Red List Status: | Critically Endangered/Possibly Extinct (Not Relevant) [CR(PE)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Chlorochroa (Rhytidolomia) juniperina |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Bantock, 2016 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Until 2023, during which a single specimen was found in Mull, Scotland, this species was unrecorded in Britain for nearly 90 years and considered presumed extinct. Targeted survey work in Scotland should focus on identifying populations on Mull and possibly other suitable localities in western Scotland and similar actions could be considered in England. The species was best known from southern England during the 19th century but is now considered extremely unlikely to occur there, as remaining stands of Juniper are very scattered and have been well-worked for insects. Northern England and Scotland are more likely locations for overlooked populations |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | The high conservation value often placed on Juniper would favour recovery of this species, assuming populations are still extant in England. However it is likely that this species requires Juniper under specific conditions and these conditions need to be ascertained and then specific work carried out to provi9de them. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | This species would not benefit from untargeted management |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 4. Autecology and pressures understood |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Unknown |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Given the apparent rediscovery of this species in Scotland on Mull, survey Juniper-rich sites in northern England, particularly those in north west England which have a mild climate and suitable south facing aspect.
Action targets: 3. National Monitoring Plan agreed and implemented
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 100 sites
High priority sites: Currently unknown. Studies would be required to identify sites which might feasibly support overlooked populations of this species.
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Experimental reintroduction, with appropriate monitoring, to a suitable calcareous grassland site in southern England, supporting an extensive and well-managed population of Juniper with a suitable south-facing aspect and microclimate.
Action targets: 6. Recovery solutions trialled
Action type: (Re-)introduction
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 5 sites
High priority sites: Currently unknown, but likely sites exist in Oxforshire, Wiltshire and possibly its former stronghold in Surrey where Juniper is being actively managed for on nature conservation sites or privately owned sites with cooperative landowners.
Comments: One possibility could be to collaborate with Plantlife on sites which are part of their Saving England’s Lowland Juniper project, e.g. the Wylye Valley in Wiltshire where Juniper is now being managed for at the landscape level and in the long term.
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.