Environment

Scottish residents should expect to see a rise in the number of daddy longlegs (also known as crane flies) this year, after millions of larvae were discovered underground.

Keep Scotland Beautiful has praised the 414 people from Midlothian who took part in the first month of its Clean Up Scotland 2018 Spring Clean.

Gorebridge and District Environmental Group will hold its Big Spring Clean next week.

Oakridge has announced plans for the formation of a brand new village community just south of Roslin.

There’s still time to give your views to the council on how Midlothian’s green network can be improved.

As part of the Big Farmland Big Count initiative, a count took place last month at Whitburgh Farms, Pathhead, hosted by owner Alastair Salvesen.

A local McDonald’s restaurant is having a clean-up event at the Straiton Pond Nature Reserve this Sunday.

A local discussion on climate change will take place at McSence Conference Centre, Mayfield, on Monday, 6.30pm-8pm.

Former mining communities including in Midlothian could find a new lease of life – with old mine shafts turned into hi-tech green energy stores.

Hillwalkers and people pursuing outdoor activities in the mountains are ebing warned by Police Scotland of the dangers that inclement weather and the terrain can present.

Plans for nearly 200 new homes in Mayfield were rejected last week by councillors sitting on the Midlothian planning committee.

Construction of the new energy-from-waste plant at Millerhill, which will serve Edinburgh and Midlothian, has reached the halfway point.

Plans to build 34 homes in North Middleton have been accepted despite concerns raised including about the lack of affordable homes proposed at the site.

Plans to build a shop unit at a Midlothian beauty spot were rejected at last week’s council planning meeting by the chairman’s casting vote.

Two Midlothian regeneration projects were recognised in the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2017 last week.

Gorebridge and District Environmental Group recently planted 1000 daffodils on the side of the A7 near Roseberry Crescent in an effort to make that stretch of road more pleasing on the eye of motorists passing Gorebridge.

A woman from Dalkeith was honoured for her exceptional efforts to reach out to her neighbours at a sheltered housing complex.

Flick through any illustrated field guide, be the subject birds, mammals, wildflowers or insects, certain star species will jump out at you, writes George Hogg (Hogg Estate Services).