Butterfly population in US shrinking by 22% over last 20 years, study shows
guardian.co.uk (nprofile…z4y7)
Drop in line with rate of overall insect loss as scientists point to habitat loss, pesticide use and the climate crisisButterflies may be among the most beloved of all creatures, routinely deified in art and verse, but they are in alarming decline in the United States with populations plummeting by a fifth in just the past two decades, according to the most comprehensive study yet of their fortunes.The abundance of butterflies in the US slumped 22% between 2000 and 2020, the new analysis of more than 76,000 mostly regional surveys, published in Science, found. For every five butterflies fluttering daintily around at the start of the century, just four remain today. Continue reading...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/declining-butterfly-populations
Drop in line with rate of overall insect loss as scientists point to habitat loss, pesticide use and the climate crisisButterflies may be among the most beloved of all creatures, routinely deified in art and verse, but they are in alarming decline in the United States with populations plummeting by a fifth in just the past two decades, according to the most comprehensive study yet of their fortunes.The abundance of butterflies in the US slumped 22% between 2000 and 2020, the new analysis of more than 76,000 mostly regional surveys, published in Science, found. For every five butterflies fluttering daintily around at the start of the century, just four remain today. Continue reading...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/declining-butterfly-populations