LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a $270,000 grant to buy a section of land near Lincoln to help protect an endangered beetle.

With the purchase of the land, the Saline Wetland Conservation Partnership will be able to better protect habitat vital to the Salt Creek tiger beetle.

The half-inch-long beetle is considered one of the rarest insects in the United States. It was listed as endangered in October 2005.

The beetles are metallic brown to dark-olive green and live only in the rare saline wetlands on the north side of Lincoln and in neighboring Saunders County south of Ceresco.

The grant is part of nearly $33 million in grants to 21 state announced Tuesday to protect the habitats of threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plants.