Butterflies—nature’s tiny, winged works of art—have been delighting humans for centuries.
But behind their delicate beauty lies an unsettling reality: their numbers in the U.S. have dropped by 22% in just two decades.
That’s one out of every five butterflies—gone.
“It’s a wake-up call,” says biologist Eliza Grames. “People love butterflies, but turning this around will take serious effort.”
And it’s not just about losing a pretty insect—these pollinators help keep ecosystems (and our food supply) running.
A team of 30 scientists analyzed over 76,000 surveys, revealing declines across 340 species.
Who Are The Culprits?
The culprits? Habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. In the Midwest, farm pesticides are wiping them out.
In the Southwest, worsening droughts leave butterflies parched and their host plants shriveled.
Some species, like the Florida white, have all but disappeared.
Others, including the tailed orange and Hermes copper, have seen a staggering 95% decline.
Butterflies are one of the few insects people actually care about. “They’re a gateway to thinking about ecosystem health,” Grames says.
If we want to save them, we need climate action, habitat restoration, and fewer chemicals in our fields.
Otherwise, as butterfly expert Art Shapiro grimly puts it, they could be “going the way of the dodo.” And wouldn’t that be a tragedy?
