British moths in calamitous decline

Photograph: Maarten Jacobs

The moth population in southern UK is down 40% in 40 years and three native species have become extinct since 2000.  Moth numbers have held up well in northern England and Scotland, with no overall decline in the abundance of larger moths north of Lancaster and York, compared with the 40% fall in the southern half of Britain. The Garden Tiger Moth pictured here was once common in British gardens but its numbers have fallen by 92% over 40 years. "There is some good news but overall the pattern is very gloomy," said Richard Fox of Butterfly Conservation. "Our suspicion is that the primary thing driving the decline in the south is habitat loss."

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/british-moths-have-crashed-in-numbers-over-past-40-years-as-part-of-widespread-decline-8475763.html

http://www.mothscount.org/uploads/SOBM%20final%20version.pdf