APB data used in a study that finds US butterfly populations are severely declining

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In addition to dramatic declines for individual species, the study concluded that total abundance of butterflies has declined by 22% from 2000 to 2020. That means that for every five butterflies seen 20 years ago, now there are only four.

Albany Pine Bush Preserve Conservation Biologist, Steven P. Campbell, Ph.D., is one of the coauthors of this important study titled ‘Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century’. Including 29 years of Albany Pine Bush Preserve Karner blue monitoring data, this study used records of 12.6 million individual butterflies, from 554 species, collected from >76,000 surveys, across 35 monitoring programs in the United States.

“Our study found that the total number of butterflies declined by 1.3% a year. That may not sound like much, but it adds up quickly, and it means we’ve lost more than 20% of butterflies in just 20 years,” said Collin Edwards, lead author of the study. “This is a wake-up call for the need to conserve butterflies and their habitat.”

While a number of studies have previously showed regional butterfly declines, this is the most complete – and concerning – picture of the status of U.S. butterflies. The study found ten times as many declining species as increasing species. 107 species declined by more than 50%, and 22 species declined by more than 90%.

Declines were present across all butterfly families, from the little-known sandhill skipper butterfly to more wide-spread species like the American lady butterfly.

“This is the most comprehensive assessment of U.S. butterfly population trends ever undertaken,” said Cheryl Schultz, senior author and professor of conservation biology at Washington State University. “It gives us a clear picture of the extent of declines and the need to act quickly across all parts of our landscape.”

“This alarming state of the nation’s butterfly populations underscores how critical conservation efforts are for these important pollinators, and just what a significant example our own success with butterfly recovery has been within that same 20-year time span,” said Albany Pine Bush Preserve Conservation Director, Neil Gifford, “The paper also suggests why it is important to protect and monitor the Albany Pine Bush Preserve’s entire butterfly community, an effort initiated in 2024 by our Field Ecologist & Entomologist, Alex Soldo.”

Dr. Campbell stated, “A strong showing from the Karner blue butterfly (Plebejus samuelis) metapopulation in 2024 continues to indicate that our efforts to restore and maintain high-quality inland pitch pine-scrub oak barrens is also protecting the rare species it supports. The number of adult butterflies in the preserve’s metapopulation were estimated to be about 8,300 in the spring brood and 25,500 butterflies in the summer brood. The summer brood estimate was the second largest since monitoring began in 2007. Although the metapopulation size fluctuates annually, it has remained above the 3,000-butterfly recovery threshold established by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the last 12 years. The preserve’s metapopulation has also exceeded our target of 7,640 butterflies in either brood for 10 of the last 11 years. Most notably, these brood size estimates are conservative since they apply to only 13% of preserve area known to support Karner blues.”

Previous research has pinpointed pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change as the major causes of butterfly declines. Ensuring that host plants for caterpillars and nectar plants for adults are available throughout the entire growing season can help stabilize and improve the chances of butterfly populations bouncing back, as can protecting the spaces butterflies use from pesticides.  Access to high quality, pesticide free habitat can help butterflies and other pollinators be more resilient to climate change. Managing areas to increase habitat can help declining butterfly populations.

“Butterflies need host plants on which to lay eggs, wildflowers on which to feed, a refuge from pesticides, and sites to overwinter,” said Scott Black, director of the Xerces Society and study co-author.  “There is hope for these animals if we focus on providing habitat for butterflies across all landscapes, from cities and towns to agricultural lands to natural areas.”

The study was completed by the Status of Butterflies in the U.S. working group, which formed to bring together all available butterfly monitoring datasets and develop a picture of the health of butterfly populations across the contiguous United States. Nearly two dozen researchers participated in the working group, hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Center for Pollinator Conservation and U.S. Geological Survey John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE ALBANY PINE BUSH:

Science Lecture: Butterfly and moth diversity in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve
Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 7:00 pm
This lecture will explore the reasons behind the high diversity of Lepidoptera in barrens habitats, highlight the species found in the preserve, and explain how these species are managed and monitored to both protect them and to learn how management decisions are affecting the preserve overall. Suitable for tweens, teens and adults.

One of the unique aspects of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is how ecological science is being supported here. Staff and participating scientists from colleges and universities in the area are doing research here that will help us understand how to manage this special eco-system. And, at the same time they are educating the public and developing best practices for our environment. Through our Science Lecture Series we are engaging people in scientific thinking and environmental stewardship. Lectures are presented by local scientists and the preserve’s own expert staff and feature on a wide variety of topics from tiger beetles, to wild turkeys to climate research. To see all of the upcoming lectures offered (in-person and through Zoom) at the preserve visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events. You can also check out previous lectures on our YouTube channel www.YouTube.com/TheAPBPC.

Community Science: National Butterfly Count Volunteer Training
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Join us to learn what butterflies can be found in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and how you can participate in the 2025 National Butterfly Count.

Community Science programs aspire to instill in our community members knowledge and appreciation of the Pine Bush while also providing us with scientific information that informs our restoration and management efforts. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is looking to engage people in science work at the Preserve, both in helping to collect data and in getting a detailed look at what we do and why. Our Community Science Program seeks to collect data that can contribute to our scientific understanding of the ecology and management of the Preserve while offering meaningful engagement opportunities to our constituency.

Community Science opportunities are offered as the need arises. For example, we will have information sessions in May for those willing to help us survey Eastern whip-poor-wills and American woodcocks and in October for neighbors who can help us measure snowpack during the winter months. To see the current Community Science opportunities offered at the preserve visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.

Science lectures and Community Science programs offer a rare backstage look into the science program at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. They provide our community with opportunities to engage and participate in the science themselves. Our Community Scientists can provide the Commission with data at a geographical and temporal scope which would be difficult for us to obtain on our own. Both programs aspire to instill in our community members knowledge and appreciation of the Preserve and the Commission while also providing us with scientific information that informs our restoration and management efforts.
 

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