De bossen van Vlaanderen: Versnipperde habitat voor de Kleine wintervlinder

The Winter Moth (Operophtem brunata) is a moth which occurs in woods, especially on oak trees. In Flanders, agricultural and urban development has led to fragmentation of this habitat. Genetic research showed that Winter Moths have a poor genetic diversity in small isolated woods. In these areas the moths were also smaller in size, possibly os a result of inbreeding. The effects of habitat fragmentation for this species is less drastic than may be expected. There are sufficient large woods nearby from where specimens with a higher genetic diversity are able to travel to the smaller woods.