1. Genomic data are not yet widely used in insect conservation practice. Here, with a focus on butterflies, we aim to identify the strengths, limitations and remaining gaps between the fields of population genomics and insect conservation management.Based on a literature search complemented with expert opinion, we discuss avenues for translating research into practice.2. We found that current genomic methodologies available for insect management enhance the assessment of cryptic diversity and facilitate the inference of historical population trends (temporal monitoring) by using even degraded material from historical collections.3. Discovering and tracking adaptive genetic variation linked to increased survival and fitness is a relatively young research field, but we highlight it as a promising tool in future insect management actions.4. We highlight recent case studies where population genomics have guided butterfly conservation. One conclusion from our advice from our non-exhaustive survey of expert opinion is to establish meaningful partnerships between researchers and practitioners, starting at the stage of project planning. Genomics is an informative tool for securing legal protection of unique populations and may offer guidance in future conservation translocations and captive breeding programmes. 5. Although insect conservation usually targets habitats, genomic guidance focusing on populations of flagship and umbrella taxa is a straightforward path to connect species-specific and habitat conservation initiatives. We conclude that there is urgency in reporting insect conservation actions guided by genomic data, both successful and unsuccessful. This will lead to constructive feedback between fields and the establishment of standardised methodologies.

Climate change is a major threat to species worldwide, yet it remains uncertain whether tropical or temperate species are more vulnerable to changing temperatures. To further our understanding of this, we used a standardised field protocol to (1) study the buffering ability (ability to regulate body temperature relative to surrounding air temperature) of neotropical (Panama) and temperate (the United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Austria) butterflies at the assemblage and family level, (2) determine if any differences in buffering ability were driven by morphological characteristics and (3) used ecologically relevant temperature measurements to investigate how butterflies use microclimates and behaviour to thermoregulate. We hypothesised that temperate butterflies would be better at buffering than neotropical butterflies as temperate species naturally experience a wider range of temperatures than their tropical counterparts. Contrary to our hypothesis, at the assemblage level, neotropical species (especially Nymphalidae) were better at buffering than temperate species, driven primarily by neotropical individuals cooling themselves more at higher air temperatures. Morphology was the main driver of differences in buffering ability between neotropical and temperate species as opposed to the thermal environment butterflies experienced. Temperate butterflies used postural thermoregulation to raise their body temperature more than neotropical butterflies, probably as an adaptation to temperate climates, but the selection of microclimates did not differ between regions. Our findings demonstrate that butterfly species have unique thermoregulatory strategies driven by behaviour and morphology, and that neotropical species are not likely to be more inherently vulnerable to warming than temperate species.