Rare arctic wave dancer fly found at Cairngorms mountain loch

A rare species of fly has been found at a new site high in the Cairngorms mountains.

Arctic wave dancers, whose scientific name is Wiedemmania simplex, have been recorded at Lochain Uaine.

The small loch is at 950m (3,116ft) and close to the UK’s second highest mountain, Ben Macdui.

The flies have previously been found at two other lochs in the Cairngorms but nowhere else in the UK.

The insects get their name from their dance-like courtship displays on wet rocks by the sides of lochs and lakes.

The nearest other populations to Scotland’s are in arctic regions of Finland, Norway and Russia.

The discovery at Lochain Uaine was made in July 2024 by National Museums of Scotland entomologist Iain MacGowan and National Trust for Scotland (NTS) staff based at Mar Lodge Estate National Nature Reserve in Aberdeenshire.

NTS confirmed the find this week.

The tiny flies were previously found at Loch Avon in 2018 and Loch Etchachan in 2020.

All three sites are on the NTS reserve near Braemar.

Andrew Painting, of NTS, 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 like Iain MacGowan.”