Recent research published in the journal Science reveals a concerning decline in the butterfly population in the U.S. Throughout this century, there has been a decrease of more than 20% in the number of essential pollinators, raising alarms about potential long-term consequences. The most significant drops in population were observed in the southwestern region, encompassing states such as Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
While butterflies have been extensively studied, previous analyses have been limited in scope or sourced from single monitoring programs. To bridge this gap, researchers conducted a thorough examination of data from over 12.6 million individual butterflies collected from 76,000 surveys across 35 monitoring programs.
The results highlight a troubling pattern: between 2000 and 2020, the overall butterfly abundance in the contiguous United States declined by 22% across the 554 species documented. This decline was widespread, with significantly more species experiencing population decreases compared to those that showed increases.
This pervasive decline across all regions underscores the pressing need for protective measures to halt further losses in butterfly populations. Scientists attribute factors such as habitat loss, pesticide usage, and climate change to this decline. It’s been reported by a journalist and adapted for this platform with AI assistance, while our editorial team ensures fairness and accuracy in all reporting across platforms.
