Moths linked to birds decline in UK

... due to appear in the journal Biological Conservation October issue, but already online in "Science Direct"

Rapid declines of common, widespread British moths provide evidence of an insect biodiversity crisis

• ARTICLE

B I O L O G I CA L C O N S E RVAT I O N
1 3 2 ( 2 0 0 6 )
2 7 9 –2 9 1

Pages 279-291
Kelvin F. Conrad, Martin S. Warren, Richard Fox, Mark S. Parsons and Ian P. Woiwod

------------------------------

- as reported in the UK newspaper, The Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,1820266,00.html

Moths' decline may herald crisis in UK biodiversity
· Study finds collapse in formerly common species
· Ecologists fear loss of insects will hit birds

Ian Sample, science correspondent

Friday July 14, 2006
The Guardian (c)

"Conservationists are warning of an impending crisis in British biodiversity after recording dramatic countrywide declines in some of the most common moth species. Records spanning nearly four decades show two-thirds of the country's most popular moths are declining, amounting to about 220 separate species. Numbers of 71 species, more than a fifth of the total, have plummeted by a third in the past decade.

"Ecologists at the government's agricultural institute, Rothamsted Research, in Hertfordshire, said the figures added to an already gloomy picture of British biodiversity, which has seen sharp declines in bumble bees and butterflies. Fears have now taken hold that the seemingly relentless loss of insects will have a knock-on effect on birdlife.

"Researchers used a network of 95 light traps, most of which have been in place since 1968, to study populations of insects drawn to the glow of the traps' lamps. The records show that some species, including the dusk thorn and hedge rustic, have declined by more than 90% in the past 35 years."

Read more ...

"Dr Conrad blames a general and widespread degradation of the moths' natural habitat for the bulk of the losses, but added that climate change, light pollution and farming practices had all taken their toll.

...

"The findings add to recent reports that nearly three-quarters of butterfly populations in Britain have crashed as their habitats have become damaged and fragmented.

"We have now got good data on moths and butterflies, and we know bumble bees are in trouble. All the studies now point to the same thing, that we are losing many of our insect species in Britain," said Dr Conrad.

--- etc etc

(c) The Guardian