Sand Dart
EN

Sand Dart

Agrotis ripae

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrotis_ripae

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Sand Dart faces severe habitat loss due to coastal development and tourism infrastructure along its restricted range in the Canary Islands. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns affecting the sparse vegetation that larvae depend upon. Invasive plant species are displacing native flora essential for the moth's lifecycle, while light pollution from coastal developments disrupts adult flight patterns and mating behaviors.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Sand Dart inhabits coastal sandy areas and dune systems in the Canary Islands, particularly areas with sparse, low-growing vegetation. Adults are active in sandy coastal environments where they rely on specific native plant species for larval development.

Other threatened species in Noctuidae

Tawny ShearsVU

Tawny Shears

Hadena perplexa

Unknown
Noctuelle gris-de-lin (La)VU

Noctuelle gris-de-lin (La)

Epilecta linogrisea

Unknown
White-spotted PinionVU

White-spotted Pinion

Cosmia diffinis

Unknown
Sweet Gale MothVU

Sweet Gale Moth

Acronicta cinerea

Unknown

Threatened in Belgium

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
VU

Olive Skipper

Pyrgus serratulae

Unknown
Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
EN

knopphodeedderkopp

Walckenaeria nodosa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Sand Dart classified as Endangered?
Sand Dart is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Sand Dart faces severe habitat loss due to coastal development and tourism infrastructure along its restricted range in the Canary Islands. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns affecting the sparse vegetation that larvae depend upon. Invasive plant species are displacing native flora essential for the moth's lifecycle, while light pollution from coastal developments disrupts adult flight patterns and mating behaviors.
Where does Sand Dart live?
Sand Dart occurs in Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, and Germany (plus 18 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sand Dart?
The main threats to Sand Dart are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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