Lepidoptera Species move up the Himalayas due to Climate Change

Lepidoptera Species move up the Himalayas due to Climate Change

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Climate change

In news

• According to a recent study, rising average temperatures in the Himalayan region have driven several dozen species of butterfly and moth to habitats higher up the mountains.
• Carried out by: Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) 
• Funded by: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Key takeaways

• At least 49 species of moth and 17 species of butterfly have shown considerable new upward altitude movement.
• The extension of the range of Lepidoptera due to climate change has been observed all over the world as well.
• The ZSI predicts a decline of as much as 91% in the suitable area for the Notodontidae family of moths in J&K, Himachal, and Uttarakhand by 2050.
• The study also revealed an increase in the richness of Lepidoptera biodiversity from the Western to the Eastern Himalayas.

Important value additions

Lepidoptera

• It is the order of insects that includes butterflies, moths and skippers.
• The name Lepidoptera is derived from the Greek, meaning “scaly winged”.
• It also refers to the characteristic covering of microscopic dust like scales on the wings.

• Importance: (1) They transform large amounts of plant matter into the animal matter and in turn serve as food for many other groups of animals; (2) They aid in pollination.
• The Himalayas are home to more than 35% of Lepidoptera species (butterflies and moths) found in India.