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According to a new country-wide study, butterfly populations in the United States have been decreasing by an average of 1.4% per year since the turn of the century. Although that might not sound like a lot, in fact it will be ruinous going forward. Experts believe that America's butterflies are disappearing at this alarming rate for a number of reasons. And given their important role as pollinators and nature ambassadors, the need to protect our planet's butterfly species is more pressing than ever.
Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
If you live in the US and are reasonably in touch with nature, you may have noticed a decline in the number of butterflies you see each spring and summer.
Thanks to a comprehensive new study that combines data from various monitoring programs, we now have hard evidence to support that observation.
The study looked at years of butterfly data in the lower 48 states and found that, on average, numbers have been falling by 1.3% per year since 2000.
Although that may not sound like a huge decrease, in fact that cumulative effect is devastating. And there’s nothing to suggest this trend is going to let up.
In terms of what is causing America’s butterflies to disappear at such an alarming rate, experts believe there are several factors to consider.
The new study combined 76,957 surveys from 35 monitoring programs and ultimately counted 12.6 million butterflies over the decades.
Of the 650 butterfly species known to inhabit the US, 96 species were so sparse that they did not even show up in the data.
A further 212 species were not found in sufficient number that the researchers could calculate trends.
According to the experts, we should be most worried about the species that were not able to be included in the analyses.
Once such species was the endangered St. Francis' satyr butterfly, which has been seen so rarely in recent years that it may be extinct.
It is worth noting that the St. Francis' satyr was already a rare butterfly – it lived only on a bomb range at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
There were, however, some more common and well-known species that also experienced significant drops in numbers.
The red admiral–known for being so calm that it lands on people–was down by 44%.
The American lady butterfly–recognizable by the two large eyespots on its back wings–decreased by 58%.
Even the notoriously invasive white cabbage butterfly, which is known for being very resilient, fell by 50%.
Experts believe that a harmful combination of climate change, habitat loss, and insecticides is working to weaken butterfly populations.
The research would suggest that of those three factors, the insecticides are causing the most damage.
Indeed, the use of insecticides has changed dramatically since the turn of the century, and this may well be having a very negative impact on butterfly populations.
It may also be the case that butterfly species are suffering at the hands of climate change-induced extreme weather.
The data from the study showed that the biggest decrease in butterfly populations was in the Southwest, in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.
In these states, the number of butterflies dropped by more than 50% in the 20-year period.
This prompted researchers to conclude that species in the driest and warmest areas of the country are faring particularly poorly.
Indeed, when they compared populations of species that live both in the North and in the South, those butterflies that lived in the cooler North seemed to be doing better.
The decline in butterfly populations is worrying because these pretty winged creatures play an important role in pollination.
Although not as prolific as bees, butterflies are a major source of pollination of the Texas cotton crop, for example.
According to Cornell University butterfly expert Anurag Agrawal, the declining number of butterflies is also a bad thing from the human perspective.
The beauty and fragility of butterflies makes them important for connecting people with nature.
In the digital age, it has never been more important to get back in touch with nature wherever possible. It makes us both healthier and happier individuals.
The decline in butterfly populations may be taken as a sign that, in general, the planet’s ecosystem is not doing so well.
If butterflies are suffering so much, there are probably other, lesser studied species that are also going through the same challenges.
Sources: (CNN)
See also: How insects can boost your health
Why America's butterflies are disappearing at such an alarming rate
And why we need to protect these beautiful creatures
LIFESTYLE Nature
According to a new country-wide study, butterfly populations in the United States have been decreasing by an average of 1.4% per year since the turn of the century. Although that might not sound like a lot, in fact it will be ruinous going forward. Experts believe that America's butterflies are disappearing at this alarming rate for a number of reasons. And given their important role as pollinators and nature ambassadors, the need to protect our planet's butterfly species is more pressing than ever.
Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.