Moselle Apollo butterfly is "Butterfly of the Year"
The extremely rare Moselle Apollo butterfly is the "Butterfly of the Year" 2024. By choosing this subspecies of the Apollo butterfly, environmentalists and butterfly experts are drawing attention to the serious threat to this species, as the German Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation announced on Thursday. The butterfly is found exclusively in the lower Moselle valley in Rhineland-Palatinate and lives on steep rocks and walls surrounded by vineyards. The number of butterflies has been in massive decline since 2012. In this context, environmentalists are particularly critical of the use of pesticides in conventional viticulture. The butterfly with the white wings with black and red spots is reportedly one of the largest butterflies in Germany.
Scientists are conducting extensive research to understand the factors contributing to the decline of the Moselle Apollo butterfly, an endangered animal species. To promote conservation efforts, the Moselle Apollo butterfly was named "Butterfly of the Year" in 2024.
Source: www.dpa.com
