None of the normal suggested causes for this would seem to apply, ie habitat change, agricultural intensification, light pollution and it seems rather sudden for climate change.
Tony
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Broom moth decline
Evan and Carolyn reported a Broom moth (Melanchra pisi) in the earlier post, a species which was common throughout the country. In Butterfly Conservation's "The State of Britain's Larger Moths 2013" the Broom moth is reported to have declined by 84% over the last 40 years. The following graph shows the number of individuals of the Broom moth recorded per year at a single Rothamsted site in the county since 1976. Following the spike in 1995-96 their numbers declined significantly, actually reaching 0 in 2013.
None of the normal suggested causes for this would seem to apply, ie habitat change, agricultural intensification, light pollution and it seems rather sudden for climate change.
Tony
None of the normal suggested causes for this would seem to apply, ie habitat change, agricultural intensification, light pollution and it seems rather sudden for climate change.
Tony
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Many thanks Tony. Very interesting but worrying.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn.