REVIEW

With the recent publication of the second report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change the evidence has become more convincing that not only is world climate changing but that these changes are likely to be caused by human activities. Climate change will have important implications for insect conservation and pest status. Under these circumstances it may be time to put more effort into investigating actual climate induced changes. The types of evidence required and available for such studies are discussed, with particular reference to the Lepidoptera. Preliminary results are presented on moth phenology from the Rothamsted Insect Survey which suggest that changes, consistent with climate change, can already be detected.