Study Reveals 22% Decline in U.S. Butterfly Populations Since 2000

Comprehensive analysis highlights alarming losses across hundreds of species, urging immediate conservation efforts.

A new study analyzing data from over 76,000 surveys shows a 22% decline in butterfly abundance across the U.S. from 2000 to 2020.
The research, involving 35 monitoring programs and over 12.6 million recorded butterflies, is the most extensive analysis of its kind to date.
One-third of butterfly species studied showed significant declines, with 107 species losing more than half of their populations.
Key threats to butterflies include insecticide use, habitat loss, and climate change, though regional drivers vary across the country.
Scientists emphasize butterflies' critical ecological roles in pollination and nutrient cycling, calling for urgent local and national conservation policies.