About a third of Israel’s butterfly species are threatened, with three already extinct, according to the first local Red List for insects, compiled jointly by a number of Israeli organizations.

Israel’s Red List is modeled on international lists of the same name, issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, to assess species health and the risk of extinction.

Out of 156 butterfly species documented in the country, 12 are critically endangered, 23 are endangered, and 22 are defined as having a threatened future. Only 63 species are defined as not at risk, and for the remaining ones, the information is insufficient to assess their status.

Among the species endangered in Israel are the Scarce Swallowtail, the Levantine Vernal Copper, the Queen of Spain fritillary, the Southern Comma, and the Steppe Large Grizzled Skipper.

According to the Red List (Hebrew), the threats to butterflies range from habitat loss resulting from construction, infrastructure development, and the conversion of open areas to agricultural ones, to the use of pesticides, which harm both butterfly larvae and the plants on which butterflies lay their eggs. Other........

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