Butterfly Population Decreasing; Not Yet Too Late to Help

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are dying by large numbers in North America. Monarch butterflies, in particular, are in trouble, as they are closer to extinction than scientists originally thought.

These insects are admired for their beauty, but more than that, butterflies actually play a significant role in pollinating flowering plants, which rely mostly on them and other pollinating insects to move their pollen from one plant to another.

#Cornell scientists find monarch butterflies face danger beyond just dwindling milkweed https://t.co/tBGsJw2AoD pic.twitter.com/EX9qfFAsoX

— Cornell CALS (@CornellCALS) April 22, 2016

However, Herald & Review noted that butterflies have been dying off; in the United States alone, at least five butterfly species have become extinct since 1950, and another 25 are said to be on the endangered list. Monarch butterflies, which are admired for their migrating patterns, have lost 90 percent of its population in less than 20 years.

The Center for Biological Diversity pointed out that the once-common species with their iconic orange and black colors have lost about 165 million acres of their habitat - an area that is roughly around the same size as Texas.

To help their numbers grow, scientists say that planting milkweed will help - as these are the only food that monarch caterpillars will ingest. Donald Lewis, and entomologist from Iowa State University cited a study that described the decline of milkweed in agricultural fields between the years 1999 to 2010. To save these butterflies, he said, there should be biodiversity. Unfortunately, this is at odds with most plans for farming and commercial development.

Still, that does not mean that individuals at home or in small communities can't help. Lewis emphasized on the necessity of planting pollinator gardens with plants that can bloom year-round. These can help not only butterflies but also other pollinators such as bees and wasps as well.

He shared that these plants should be kept somewhere where they can have at least six hours of sun every day, and they should contain different species of annual, biennial, and perennial nectar plant species, as well as at least 10 milkweed plants of different types. Chicago Tonight noted that the migration of monarch butterflies from Mexico to the US has already begun, although they are said to be lagging.