Butterfly populations disappearing at ‘dire’ rate

The United States has seen a stunning decline in butterfly populations, with rates continuing to show decreases that have been described as “dire.”A recent study published in the journal Science calculated the decline at 22% since the year 2000, with the potential for cascading effects on other organisms.”Numerous declines have been documented across insect groups, and the potential consequences of insect losses are dire,” study authors stated.Entomologists reached their conclusions by analyzing 76,000 surveys across the Lower 48 states, which accounted for 12.6 million individual butterflies.Of the species studied, two-thirds showed declines of more than 10%, with every region outside the West Coast experiencing plunging numbers.”Species-level declines were widespread, with 13 times as many species declining as increasing. The prevalence of declines throughout all regions in the United States highlights an urgent need to protect butterflies from further losses,” the study said.MONARCH BUTTERFLIES ARE NOW LISTED AS ENDANGEREDIn addition to their beauty, biologists consider butterflies to be critical to ecosystems, as they play vital roles as pollinators and food sources.Factors such as habitat loss, climate change and pesticide use are all suspected contributors to the decline in butterfly populations. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are believed to have exacerbated the problem, with species generally experiencing more significant declines in the southern parts of the country.One of the hundreds of species impacted is the monarch butterfly, which was recently estimated by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to have a population of fewer than 10,000 individuals. The species was once estimated to have a population of between 1 and 2 million during the 1990s but has significantly declined in numbers across North America.DEMISE OF AUSTRALIA’S LARGE KANGAROOS LIKELY NOT CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, STUDY SUGGESTSResearchers warn that the continued depletion of butterfly populations could have cascading effects on biodiversity.Previous studies have documented declines in moths, bees and beetles, potentially leading to hardships for amphibians and birds.The study highlighted actions such as preserving and restoring native habitats and performing manual relocations as potential solutions.In addition to limiting the use of insecticides, the United States Department of Agriculture suggested that the planting of milkweed can help enhance some butterfly populations.Monarch butterflies are known to only lay their eggs on milkweed and caterpillars only feed on milkweed leaves.”Many insects have the potential for rapid population growth and recovery, but habitat restoration, species-specific interventions, and reducing pesticide use are all likely needed to curb population declines,” the study stated.