Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera) and conservation: background and perspective

Most attention to conservation of moths has been to species or assemblages of the 'macrolepidoptera', which includes families rivalling the butterflies in their popularity. The more numerous smaller moths have been largely ignored. As for butterflies, the greatest amount of appraisal and information on conservation is from the northern temperate regions, where conservation is accepted readily and promoted widely. Equivalent needs occur elsewhere, but most have not been assessed except in general terms of concern for natural habitats. This introduction outlines the current approaches and background to moth conservation and the use of moths as tools in conservation assessment, and summarises some concerns, contexts and biological background to help appreciate the plight and uses of this predominant constituent of the Lepidoptera in many parts of the world.