Conservation

Very little funding is contributed to invertebrate conservation in Hawaii, in general. However, there are a few studies that focus on the conservation of Lepidoptera in Hawaii, and in doing so foster research and awareness of ecosystem conservation and protection.

The Fabulous Green Sphinx of Kauai
A rare and beautiful moth rediscovered on the island of Kauai draws attention and funding to the diverse mesic forests of this island

Manduca blackburni - Blackburn's Sphinx moth
For many years considered extinct, this sphinx moth was rediscovered in the 1980s, surviving in a tiny population on the island of Maui. This will probably become Hawaiis first federally listed endangered insect.

Research on Cydia, a tortricid moth is being conducted at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. This moth has caterpillars which feed inside the pods of a native legume, Mamane. Research has focused on this moth because an endangered bird in the area, Pallila, has been found to preferentialy feed on pods that contain the larvae in order to provide their young with an adequate protein source. For more information contact USGS at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Apart from these studies that take an applied approach to conservation, systematics, and research on biodiversity, taxonomy and biogeography also have a large role to play in conservation biology