Although the silver Y still remains the most common moth of the Netherlands, the species is declining sharply. In the course of the last 30 years the abundance has dropped by 56%. This corresponds to the situation in Great Britain. As an abundant species, the silver Y plays various important roles in the ecosystem. First, moths pollinate nocturnal flowering plants. Second, larvae and adults of moths are important prey for insectivorous birds and bats, and this is particularly true for numerous species that are not too small, such as the silver Y. The adult moth for instance is one of the more important resources for the redbacked shrike (Lanius collurio), and the disappearance of this bird from the Dutch dunes has been associated with a reduction of prey availability, including the silver Y.
Source: Willem N. Ellis (2016) Entomologische Berichten 76 (1): 21-27
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