A new study published in Science shows that butterfly populations are in trouble due to climate change. The study found that butterfly populations in the Western United States are declining by two percent annually.

Source: CBS 8 San Diego/YouTube

Temperature fluctuations are dangerous to the species, as warmer temperatures continue into the fall. This dries out vegetation and disrupts seasonal cycles that butterflies use to prepare for the colder months.

“The influence of Climate change is driving those declines, which makes sense because they’re so widespread,” said Matt Forister, a biology professor at the University of Nevada at Reno and co-author in The Washington Post, “It has to be something geographically pervasive.”

Roadways, farms, pesticides, and habitat destruction all play a role in reducing butterfly populations. Like bees, butterflies play a role in crop pollination and are essential parts of many ecosystems. Forister told KNAU that insects are “part of the glue that holds ecosystems together.”

Learn more about Climate change affecting animal life, including acidification harming Dungeness crabs,  the mystery of dead birds across Alaska, turtles in Cape Cod Bay, lobsters off the coast of New England and whales in the Gulf of Maine.

Related Content:

• How the Butterfly Can Shape an Ecosystem and Why We Need to Protect Them
• Monarch Butterfly Denied Protection by Trump Administration
• Western Monarch Butterflies Near Extinction With Less than 2000 Reported in this Year’s Thanksgiving Count
• Climate Change is Driving Monarch Butterflies to Extinction
• The Ins and Outs of Butterfly Gardens

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!