Butterfly Numbers in US Drop 22% Since 2000

[{"selector":"#anim-e56eddcd-2b0c-411b-b48b-0a34cd207a9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c33d3da-012b-4d2b-b1ac-ae7b184b9dce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2c364a2-0eb7-45c5-9c85-445bb0e3503c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-713b7c38-ad9e-4040-b53f-dadae8f456a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Butterfly Numbers in US Drop 22% Since 2000 Govind Tekale

America's butterfly populations have dropped by 22% since 2000, meaning one in five butterflies have vanished in just two decades.

[{"selector":"#anim-c27ab51e-2fa1-4525-b8e5-07814cc45c06","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7ffb324-e371-4c88-9255-755f18e793c9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e32fc92-72dc-4ebf-b4a8-41fcb7552777","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5520519f-1311-4e54-b5a5-23fd283d1501","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.86898%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a862bfb-89bb-4c5b-8b32-2f74a0e2a914","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Kenneth Cole Schneider (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Scientists analyzed nearly 77,000 surveys counting 12.6 million butterflies, making this the most comprehensive butterfly study ever conducted in the U.S.

[{"selector":"#anim-55998197-8a3f-48ef-9c33-98732a830a79","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a580480f-dec4-4518-8a00-92d0f1986162","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b22b450a-3ca6-427f-98ab-34dcb3f7f65c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66b7708c-d3fc-498d-9f8c-651585d05032","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5282dab2-d108-4b03-8d5e-01f76d72ddb8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Liz west from Boxborough (CC BY 2.0)

Over 100 species saw their numbers plummet by more than half, with the Florida white butterfly virtually disappearing from survey records entirely.

[{"selector":"#anim-541e0c92-f462-4be8-b894-559fbca8b1de","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e004bc8e-9893-4bd3-8ea9-5ac6e2e60562","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6f42966-46d2-4241-8f39-345c8626da75","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e900183-8652-4585-a793-380be04157fd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24f83c9f-4473-4c1a-b6ba-89d7d2258ab7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Vadym Alyekseyenko (Pexels)

The Southwest region suffered the steepest losses as butterfly populations crashed by more than 50%, while the Pacific Northwest fared slightly better.

[{"selector":"#anim-ccb22da0-65a5-4f8d-84ca-fb24cdf00478","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a51784f-c2b4-419c-b71b-a512b6c9a1fb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92ac67ff-0866-4792-90ab-8072c6aad437","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81343199-0ab1-46fa-88db-a7fdc56e904b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4887119c-ee07-4ef1-8698-8616d2d7f76d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pixabay (Pexels)

Even common butterflies like the red admiral dropped by 44%, showing that the crisis affects both rare and abundant species across the country.

[{"selector":"#anim-bd0d034f-1e4e-4824-8adc-cf9651774f57","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8e85c80-6a15-4c12-b93c-3b7cdee75fa0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19195a39-4bc8-4149-af59-51520d76d98a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fec93b09-15a8-4e5c-b0fb-2afacf7f0e38","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-41b7732d-bf56-40d7-9991-795ddbd14cc1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Zett Foto (Pexels)

Researchers blame three main culprits: habitat destruction from development, climate change creating harsh conditions, and widespread pesticide use in farming regions.

[{"selector":"#anim-c1e87ad2-48be-49c1-b6af-feb961591000","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-516cb0f1-12bb-4327-af9c-b0098c561d2a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 181.45484%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f1079b4-7b88-4366-b810-f7f2042cd8e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-393752f1-4916-4351-adbe-40379a4e4fd5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34e198e3-8909-4013-88c1-017bea842620","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Samet Doğan (Pexels)

Conservation efforts show promise since butterflies reproduce quickly, allowing backyard gardens with native plants to help local populations bounce back within just a few seasons.

[{"selector":"#anim-5ab194be-1fca-4afd-b695-e338331a9591","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfd570af-b1b3-4755-a955-9dec407ebde2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9455da96-98c5-4c05-8641-f7a00cba7570","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-078f3367-42a1-416b-b211-8b7e84548fd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1863ba4c-273f-486a-9ed1-ac17498deb7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pixabay (Pexels)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now considering adding monarch butterflies to the threatened species list as their numbers have plummeted from 1.2 million in 1997 to fewer than 10,000 today.

[{"selector":"#anim-fd84c538-bf68-46d6-8459-ec25ccc42b07","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26d2f9f0-b01c-4c53-8cb6-0db46851a6bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 156.31003%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83d39c80-9206-4805-8079-bb9455f14838","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1aa9ba45-2b34-4f32-b534-e92e447ce434","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e60bcdc-c5ca-4bc5-be59-52b38aea490e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Erik Karits (Pexels)

[{"selector":"#anim-33ac9bc8-b38e-4662-b5bf-df457e5d3e7b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e5754826-38b6-41cc-9857-8dbf9f92cff6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4a3ac1b-0d61-4443-8a47-01fbc2664d2d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3063cead-698b-453c-a91c-240308e76f84","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5874a549-f27b-4a11-98c9-c724d1d225f4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Hurricanes Push Schaus' Swallowtail Butterfly Past 10,000 Learn more