Butterfly populations are dropping in America at rapid rates. Their numbers have been dropping since 2000 and it doesn't look like they are going to improve any time soon.
Why Butterfly Populations Are Dropping In America
The NY Post shares the multitude of reasons that butterfly populations are dropping in America. Between increased use of insecticides, climate change, and habitat loss, these poor winged creatures don't stand a chance. A new study found that these "winged beauties down 22% since 2000."
Additionally the post shares the results of a countrywide systematic analysis of butterfly populations in America. The findings were "the number of butterflies in the Lower 48 states has been falling on average 1.3% a year since the turn of the century, with 114 species showing significant declines and only nine increasing."
The results proved that butterfly populations have been on the decline for a long time, and they are not showing any signs of improvement. Just last month, experts looked specifically at the monarch butterfly's numbers. They, "counted a nearly all-time low of fewer than 10,000, down from 1.2 million in 1997." With those numbers experts are arguing that the monarch should be added to the threatened species list.
Why Does It Matter?
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Besides just being incredibly sad to lose so many beautiful butterflies, there is another reason that we should be concerned. These steady decreases in butterfly populations can have catastrophic consequences for humans. Butterflies are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, if they are not thriving that means that the ecosystem is not healthy.
Additionally, butterflies are a huge pollinator. With their populations dwindling that means there will be less and less to pollinate our crops and plants. If we don't figure out how to stop their rapid decline soon, I fear we all may face the consequences of a butterfly-free world.
