Beetle banks (updated for SFI26)

What you must do

You must establish an in-field beetle bank by: creating a raised earth ridge sowing a mixture of fine-leaved grasses, such as red fescue, together with some tussock forming varieties like tall fescue, timothy and cocksfoot You can leave gaps of up to around 40m at each end of the beetle bank to allow machinery access. Once the grassy mix on the beetle bank is established, you must maintain it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. You must not apply: any fertilisers, manures or lime apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken You can maintain an existing beetle bank to get paid for this action if it: meets this action’s requirements is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as Countryside Stewardship option AB3 (beetle banks)

When to do it

You must: establish the beetle bank within 12 months of this action’s start date maintain the beetle bank throughout each subsequent year of this action’s duration

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as: field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices photographs or other documentation If it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.

SFI26 actions v2.0, updated 7 July 2026 — verified 1 Aug 2026. Open official guidance