Scarce Crimson & Gold
Pyrausta sanguinalis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Scarce Crimson & Gold faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development across its European range. Traditional hay meadows and chalk grasslands that support its larval host plants have been dramatically reduced through conversion to intensive agriculture and abandonment of traditional management practices. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the timing of plant flowering and potentially shifting suitable habitat zones northward faster than the species can adapt.
Habitat
This moth inhabits traditional hay meadows, chalk grasslands, and flower-rich downlands across Europe, particularly favoring areas with abundant wild marjoram and oregano plants. The species requires unimproved grasslands with diverse wildflower communities that are managed through light grazing or traditional hay cutting regimes.
Other threatened species in Crambidae
Threatened in Åland Islands
Frequently asked questions
Why is Scarce Crimson & Gold classified as Endangered?
Where does Scarce Crimson & Gold live?
What are the main threats to Scarce Crimson & Gold?
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