Hermit and oleander hawkmoth: the changing insect world
Insect researchers say they have made some remarkable discoveries in Thuringia in recent years. "We keep finding rare species, including those on the Red List," said Ronald Bellstedt, Chairman of the Thuringian Entomologists' Association. These include, for example, the stag beetle, which is classified as critically endangered, and the Juchten beetle, which is also on the Red List. Overall, however, significant declines in the insect population can also be observed in Thuringia.
According to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the hermit beetle is a so-called umbrella species. This means that the environment they need to live in is protected and therefore the habitat of other, non-specifically protected species is also preserved. Bellstedt therefore also emphasized: "The habitat is crucial, it's not necessarily about the individual beetle."
Intensive agriculture in particular, but also industrial plants in the countryside such as photovoltaics or wind turbines and densification in populated areas generally lead to the loss of habitat for insects. The Federal Ministry for the Environment also cites the loss and qualitative deterioration of habitats as the main causes of the general decline in insects.
Other species spread due to dry climate
Climate change and the effects of globalization are also causing changes in the insect world in Thuringia, said Bellstedt. According to the expert, the hot, dry summers of recent decades have obviously led to the expansion of the range of some Mediterranean species.
For example, there has been an increase in the number of praying mantises found in Thuringia, Bellstedt cites in a specialist article. "Equally noteworthy is the recent increase in the number of peregrine butterflies, such as the oleander hawkmoth, which is very rare here," it continues. Conversely, native butterflies have suffered from the recent dry years, as their caterpillars lacked food plants, said Bellstedt.
Conference planned in Erfurt
On Saturday, insect experts will meet at a conference of the Thuringian Entomologists' Association at the University of Applied Sciences in Erfurt. The association is a state specialist committee of the nature conservation organization Nabu Thüringen and has 270 members, according to its own information. According to the association, there are more than 20,000 different insect species in Thuringia.
The expansion of some Mediterranean species in Thuringia can be attributed to the hot, dry summers, resulting in an increase in praying mantises and rare species like the oleander hawkmoth. Preserving the habitat of umbrella species, such as the hermit beetle, is crucial for the survival of various insect species.
Source: www.dpa.com
