Disappearing butterflies should be a wake-up call, scientists say
Lexi Jusino
(CN) — The fluttering wings of butterflies have always been a symbol of beauty and transformation, but research suggests that rather than transforming, their populations have been vanishing altogether. According to a new study by researchers at Binghamton University in New York, the butterfly population across the U.S. has plummeted by 22% over the past two decades.
"This was the most comprehensive analysis of butterflies in the U.S. and at such a big spatial scale." said Eliza Grames, an assistant professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University and co-author of the study published in Science.
The research team analyzed data from over 76,000 surveys, compiling information from 35 different monitoring programs that tracked over 12.6 million butterflies. The findings were not pretty: One in three species of butterflies has shown a significant decline, and 107 species have lost more than half their own populations since 2000.
"For those who were not already aware of insect declines, this should be a wake-up call" said Collin Edwards, the lead author of the study. “We urgently need both local- and national-scale conservation efforts to support butterflies and other insects. We have never had as clear and compelling a picture of butterfly declines as we do now.”
Why are butterflies disappearing? The causes are complex and differ based on regions. Research says pesticides are a major factor in the Midwest, while drought threatens the population in the Southwest, and climate change is a contributing factor in the Northeast.
“Insects are declining at rates of about 1-2% per year, which has come out across several studies,” Grames said. “This was another study finding a super similar rate of decline, which really adds evidence to the growing picture of insect declines globally.”
Butterflies are crucial to pollination and play a major role in the health of ecosystems worldwide. The decline of butterflies could have a huge effect on the population of plants as well as the food chain.
Grames is not the person studying butterfly populations declining; she's training the next generation to learn and make an impact. In her Conservation Biology class at Binghamton University, students are conducting assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature to figure out which species might require official protection and surveillance.
"Participating in this assessment has allowed me to apply what I've learned in class to real-world scenarios," said Clara Zook, a student working on the assessment for Julia's skipper, one of the species in harm's way.
With a much clearer picture of the butterfly declines, researchers can now push for better protection.
"It's empowering to know that our research could play a role in preserving this species," student Kieran Bulchholz said.
Grames believes that this study can provide crucial evidence for policy changes.
“We have much better data to go and say, ‘You know, we should really consider these for federal protection.’ So we can go in, conserve their habitat and — hopefully — they can rebound,” she said.