Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity
10-Minute Paper
Andrew J. Bladon
Research Associate
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
Rebecca K. Smith
Senior Research Associate
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
William J. Sutherland
Miriam Rothschild Professor of Conservation Biology
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
In the last few years, global concern over the decline of insect populations has increased, and efforts to assess trends have intensified. Butterflies and moths represent a diverse and popular insect Order with a long history of ecological study and a vital role in ecosystem function, and have become a flagship for insect conservation. But despite a good understanding of their ecology and natural history, how much do we know about the effectiveness of conservation actions for Lepidoptera? While there is an urgent need for conservation action, it is vital that interventions are effective and evidence-based to ensure the cost-effective allocation of resources and delivery of results. We used the subject-wide evidence synthesis approach developed by Conservation Evidence to compile the global evidence for butterfly and moth conservation into a single synopsis, which is freely available online for practitioners and policymakers. I will present an overview of the synopsis, including an introduction to the Conservation Evidence approach, a description of the availability and quality of evidence for global butterfly and moth conservation, and an analysis of the extent to which patterns and biases in the evidence match or differ from other taxa covered by Conservation Evidence synopses.