A letter from Dafydd Lewis published in the Amateur Entomologists’ Society.

Introduction for FFON by Simon H King FLS: While bees often capture the limelight in discussions about pollination, their stage is shared with unsung heroes that operate under the cloak of night. This guest post by Dafydd Lewis shines a spotlight on moths, the overlooked pollinators, whose contribution is as significant as their day-flying counterparts. Amidst environmental challenges and urban sprawl, it calls for a re-evaluation of conservation efforts to include these nocturnal allies. Here’s to the world of moths, exploring their vital role, the threats they face, and why preserving urban green spaces is essential for sustaining both moth and bee populations in our ever-changing landscapes.

Dear all,

When we think of pollinators, naturally our thoughts turn to bees. At certain times, such as when the UK government recently (and not for the first time) gave emergency approval for the use of a previously banned neonicotinoid pesticide (thiamethoxam) in sugar beet crops (Prior, 2024) we might begin to become concerned about the fate of these major pollinators.  
 
Morris (2023) points out that bees also have other ecological benefits, which should not be overlooked; he even suggests that the well-publicised extent to which bees are linked to the all-important pollination may have sometimes been used to ease the gaining of research grants! As we know, bees are not the only pollinators; moths, in particular, are likely to be just as important. Scientists at the University of Sheffield, UK, recently found that moths visit as many plants as bees, albeit mostly at night, and suggest that our conservation efforts should be focused as much on moths as on bees (Ellis et al., 2023). In fact, moths pollinate many species not pollinated by bees.
 
Urbanisation poses a particular threat to moths, as their life cycles and specific plant requirements are more complex than those of bees, and the extent of urbanisation will only increase as the global human population increases. Ensuring that urban green spaces are protected in a way that supports an array of wildlife will ensure that both bee and moth populations remain resilient in our towns and villages. We need more wildlife-friendly gardens (and rewilding of gardens!) and an increased public awareness of the importance of moths which, after all, number some 2,500 species as compared with 250 bee species, in the UK, and have declined in numbers significantly over the past 50 years.
 
Best wishes
Dafydd Lewis

References
Ellis, E.E. et al. (2023), Ecology Letters 26 (8), 1382-1393 (online at https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14261)
Morris, R. (2023) Antenna 47(2), 78-81
Prior, M. (2024) BBC News online, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68025634