Butterflies can be saved if we manage their habitats

Our world is changing, and among the most vivid signs of this change is the diminishing sight of beautiful butterflies dancing through our gardens and parks. Yet, don’t lose hope just yet. Recent research indicates that specific butterfly species teetering on the edge of extinction can be given a fighting chance if humans intervene and actively manage habitats that can support butterflies.

Habitat loss of butterflies

Digging into the looming crisis faced by our winged companions, a team of researchers from Washington State University assessed data from 31 butterfly species across 10 U.S. states. The pattern they discovered was concerning.

Scientists have been sounding the alarm over declining butterfly populations globally, attributing this trend to the impact of climate change, habitat loss, and prevalent pesticide use. The study’s results reflected these concerns.

The butterfly species teetering on the brink of extinction exhibited an estimated annual decline rate of 8%. To put it in perspective, this translates to a staggering 50% decrease in less than a decade.

Light at the end of the tunnel

However, the world of butterflies isn’t all descending into darkness. According to the study, habitat management interventions have the potential to slow down or even reverse these alarming declines in butterfly populations.

Study co-lead author Cheryl Schultz, a professor of conservation biology at WSU, elaborated on the team’s findings.

“The strongest signal we found is that in places where people are actively engaged with ways to manage the habitat, the butterflies are doing the best. That means that habitat management can make a difference, even in the face of stressors like climate change,” said Schultz.

Butterfly decline due to climate change

Climate change has been causing temperatures to soar incrementally. As a result, there’s been an observable change in many butterfly species‘ behavioral patterns, especially in terms of their seasonal activities.

In reaction to the changing environment, many species are stirring into action much earlier in the year. The long-term effects of these changes are not entirely clear.

“We found that for these butterflies, big shifts in timing were generally bad. Populations with greater shifts were more likely to be declining,” said Collin Edwards, a recent WSU postdoctoral fellow and  co-lead author on the study.

“However, we were excited to discover that habitat management appeared to be dampening the effect of climate change on butterfly timing. Populations that received more frequent management had smaller shifts in their timing.”

Conserving butterfly habitats

Even though the population trends for these species don’t paint a rosy picture, the links discovered by the research team between population patterns, behavioral shifts, and management strategies pave the way for a solid butterfly conservation strategy.

“This might not solve the impact of climate change, but we can mediate some of the effects. It’s within our power at the local level to do something positive for these populations,” noted study co-author Professor Elizabeth Crone from the University of California, Davis.

Showcasing butterfly resilience

The study dissected the behavior of myriad species, such as the Oregon silverspot, Taylor’s checkerspot, Karner blue, and frosted elfin.

Among these, the Fender’s blue butterfly deserves a special mention. This butterfly made a remarkable recovery, increasing from a few thousand butterflies in the 1990s to about 30,000 today, owing to the efforts of Schultz and others in the fields of public land management and private land ownership.

Habitat interventions for butterflies

The researchers concluded that the implemented habitat interventions, including prescribed burns, mowing, weeding, and planting of nectar or “host” plants for butterfly caterpillars, were aptly identified based on the individual needs of each area.

Schultz urges people to participate in natural area management activities, which could involve planting new flowers or weeding out invasive plant species.

“We really encourage people to plant an abundance of wildflowers and plants which are both hosts for caterpillars and provide nectar for butterflies. These should be ‘clean plantings’ meaning they are pesticide-free. The more we can reduce pesticides in our environment, the better it’s going to be for butterflies and insects,” noted Schultz.

This research was funded by the U.S. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The study is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

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