As of 2019, the distribution of the Grayling Butterfly (Hipparchia semele) has fallen by 92% and its abundance by 72% since 1976. The Butterfly Conservation's 2022 report stated that there has been a 42% decline in butterfly distribution, resulting in them vanishing from almost half of their habitats.
The dwindling population statistics of butterfly species’ in the United Kingdom have been attributed to excessive rainfall during the spring season and a noticeable lack of sunlight. Yet, as Tony Juniper stated in The Guardian, the consequences of one seemingly wet spring are not enough to justify the large-scale degeneration of butterfly ecosystems in the country.
This problem is not constrained solely to the UK but a worldwide issue as butterfly populations have been reportedly decreasing all over the globe, with some rare species almost vanishing entirely.
Consequences of one seemingly wet spring are not enough to justify the large-scale degeneration of butterfly ecosystems in the country.
The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is the state insect of Texas. It has become synonymous with the Southern border state's hot springs. As of 2024, the World Wildlife Federation reported that the population of the winged insect has fallen by 59% and is now considered endangered. The absence of milkweed (Asclepias) is the culprit, as monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on this now-endangered organism, a victim of pesticides used during intensive farming.
The Mountain Apollo Butterfly (Parnassius apollo) is one of the largest in Europe. Its off-white color and noticeable red spots are prevalent in Northern Slovakia. However, in the Liptov Region, only two of its kind were located and registered recently, a cataclysmically low number. Early mowing of the land around the Liptov Region is to blame, as mowing the grass and surrounding land early counters the butterfly’s ability to gather enough food.
In Scotland, while there has been a 35% increase in the butterfly population, notable species such as the Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) or the Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis) remain in decline. One recognized factor is the lack of Sheep’s Sorrel, a foodplant integral to the butterfly ecosystem which has been diminished since the mid-20th century.
The lack of natural resources required to maintain butterfly populations is a recurring factor that runs through these stories of butterfly decay.
The lack of natural resources required to maintain butterfly populations is a recurring factor that runs through these stories of butterfly decay. More importantly, human activity indirectly enables the diminishment of butterfly survivability. The lack of food is encouraged by the destruction of natural habitats for the purpose of urbanization or intensive agriculture.
While some butterfly species may be increasing – take the Silver Spotted Skipper which has increased by 596% in 2023, for example – their distribution across the country has fallen. What is being seen is a cycle of indirect eradication. With every habitat that the butterfly is incapable of colonizing and surviving within, the more limited larger populations are to the gradually dwindling and depleting natural foodplants necessary for their survival. It's a gradual yet unremitting process and given the current data, it may be one we are too late to effectively counteract.
Texans, start planting your milkweed.