Why experts want more help to protect UK's moths
- Published
Thousands of moths flutter through Britain's skies every night, but experts are warning some could disappear forever if nothing is done to protect them.
Now, conservationists want to create Britain's first official Red List for threatened moths, showing which species are most at risk of extinction.
A Red List uses scientific evidence to show which plants and animals are most at risk of extinction.
Butterfly Conservation says around 50 moth species have already become extinct in Britain since 1900.
Experts will examine the latest information to work out which moths need the most urgent help.
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Once common across central and southern England, lappet moth numbers have fallen by 98% since the 1960s
Official lists already exist for wildlife including birds, mammals and butterflies, but not for Britain's 2,500 moth species.
The project, led by the charity Butterfly Conservation and supported by Natural England, will study about 700 larger species called macro-moths. This is the name experts use for a group containing many of Britain's larger moths.
One moth in trouble is the lappet, which disguises itself as a dry leaf.
It even has a pointed 'snout' that looks like a leaf stalk. Once common across central and southern England, its numbers have fallen by 98% since the 1960s.
Moths are an important part of an ecosystem, which is a community of living things that depend on one another.
They pollinate plants and provide food for birds, mammals and other insects.
Many people think of moths as looking grey and dull but some are bright like this six-spot burnet.
Professor Richard Fox from Butterfly Conservation said: "I've spent over 20 years watching and studying these remarkable species, and to see once-familiar moths vanish has been heart-breaking.
"They are an integral part of our natural heritage, and losing them feels personal. It's why this project matters so much, and why we must act now."
The charity hopes to raise £25,000 to help experts complete the work over the next two years.
The finished list could help guide conservation efforts, so experts are better placed to protect Britain's most threatened moths before it is too late.