After more than three years of intensive scientific work and conservation efforts, five butterfly species have been added to the Spanish Catalog of Threatened Species (CEEA) and the List of Wild Species under Special Protection (LESRPE), as the Zerynthia Association emphasizes in an official statement.
On May 13, the BOE published the decree of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, which also affects various species of flora and fauna, both continental and marine.
Until now, only three butterfly species were legally protected at the state level, which, according to Zerynthia, reflects a “historical underrepresentation of insects” in Spain’s main conservation instruments.
“This progress marks a turning point in the recognition of their ecological value,” explains Yeray Monasterio, president of the organization.
Among the species now protected are the Lycaena helle (Purple Mantle) and the Gegenes pumilio (Balearic Speed), both classified as “vulnerable.”
The Lycaena helle has only a very small population in Spain, located in the mountains of León, while the Gegenes pumilio has experienced a dramatic decline in Mallorca, where its only known population in Spain is located.
In addition, three other butterfly species were added to the list of wild species under special protection: Agriades glandon zullichi (Sierra Nevada alpine), Pyrgus cinarae (Weight Checkerboard), and Pyrgus sidae (Yellow Checkerboard). These species have an extremely limited geographical distribution and urgently require improved scientific knowledge and the implementation of effective conservation measures.
Zerynthia, the proponent of this proposal, presented several candidates based on technical data and in collaboration with various specialists within the organization. Although this scientific institution positively evaluates the protection attributed to these species, it also warns that three of the eight proposed candidates have not been included in this update.
The three excluded species are Pieris cherianthi (Nasturtium butterfly), Hipparchia bacchus (El Hierro satyr), and Malacosoma laurae, all of which have a severely compromised conservation status. The first two species are endemic to the Canary Islands, and their inclusion at the state level requires the explicit support of the Canary Islands government. Furthermore, the El Hierro satyr was chosen as the “Butterfly of the Year 2025” by popular vote. Malacosoma laurae is a species found exclusively in the coastal marshes of Huelva and Cádiz.
“Excluding these species does not resolve their problems. It is urgently necessary to continue working with the relevant authorities to ensure their legal protection,” warns Monasterio.
