STATE OF BRITISH MOTHS

Early day motion 1999, tabled 20 April 2006 by Madeleine Moon (Labour). Signed by 116 members.

That this House welcomes the Butterfly Conservation publication, The State of British Moths, which demonstrates that moths are an important part of our ecosystem, providing pollination for plants and food for bats and birds, with 50 billion moths being required to feed the blue tit population of Great Britain and Ireland alone; notes that moths also act as indicators of the impact of pollution, pesticide use, light and water pollution, habitat loss and global warming on local habitats; further notes that of the approximately 2,500 species of moths currently recognised in the UK, 71 widespread moths are now recognised as endangered or vulnerable, mirroring parallel declines found in common bird species and bearing in mind the 62 species of moths which have become extinct throughout the UK in the 20th century; and calls upon the Government to ensure that steps are taken in partnership with local and regional government and environmental protection agencies to reverse the declines highlighted by the report and that funding is found both to support concerted action for threatened moths within the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and to ensure continuation of Rothamsted Research's long running data collection of the moth population in the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 78, Liberal Democrat 20, Conservative 11, DUP 6, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.