IUCN Confirms First European Butterfly Extinction After Last Sighting in 1986
The Madeiran Larghe White (Pieris wollastoni) - Known popularly as the cabbage butterfly - has been declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is the first butterfly species in Europe to receive this classification.
No confirmed sightings have occurred since 1986, and specialists say even the most experienced observers have not found a single caterpillar or adult in almost four decades.
Observers Recall Common Sightings in the 1970s Before Sharp Decline
Older naturalists remember a very different landscape. António Franquinho, who studied the species for years, explained that he last saw it even earlier than 1986. “In the 1970s they were easy to find on cabbages in any garden, including in Funchal,” he said. After that period, the butterfly disappeared quickly from fields and vegetable patches across the island.
It was a large butterfly with a wingspan of 5.5 to 7.2 cm. The wings were white, and the forewings ended with a black tip, while the hindwings had a small black spot in the upper center. Females also had two black spots on the upper surface of the forewings.
Experts Consider Possible Virus Or Pesticide Causes Without Clear Proof
The exact cause of the extinction remains unknown. Researchers point to several possible explanations, though none is confirmed. One published opinion from a British entomologist suggests two hypotheses:
A virus that may have produced an epidemic in insects
Or pesticide residues in cabbage crops that could have poisoned caterpillars.
Franquinho noted that he never observed virus symptoms on caterpillars, indicating that the disappearance could be directly caused by humans through pesticides. However, there is no evidence for this.
Four Endemic Species Remain As Europe’s Threatened Butterflies Rise To 65
Madeira now retains four endemic butterfly species. Among them is the Madeira Cleopatra, which is classified as critically endangered and depends on a single host plant, sanguinho. This tree is already one of the least common in the Laurisilva forest, limiting the butterfly’s survival.
Even so, Franquinho says he stays hopeful thanks to current conservation programmes. He also believes that a return of the Large White of Madeira is not impossible, noting that some insects have been rediscovered after many decades without sightings.
Source: RTP Madeira
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