Europe’s grassland butterfly population down more than a third in 10 years

[UngulateNerd92]

Decline worse in Britain than other countries, as conservationists blame agriculture and global heating.

Butterfly populations that live on grasslands across Europe have declined by more than a third in the past decade, according to a study.

Seventeen species that were once commonly found in pastures and meadows across 22 countries, including the small copper, common blue and meadow brown, declined by 36% on average between 2011 and 2020.

The population drop is more severe in Britain than in other countries. But the large blue (Phengaris arion) – the species that has been worst affected across Europe, where numbers are down 82% since 1990– is actually thriving in Britain due to a reintroduction programme and ongoing targeted conservation management.

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...population-down-more-than-a-third-in-10-years

 

[KevinB]

From what I understand not just the grassland species. A nature organisation here in Belgium just recently published an article about there being hardly any butterflies this spring, even of the common and normally abundant garden species. They connected this to 2022's dry and hot summer, but I'm sure there are other factors also.

 

[Mr. Zootycoon]

From what I understand not just the grassland species. A nature organisation here in Belgium just recently published an article about there being hardly any butterflies this spring, even of the common and normally abundant garden species. They connected this to 2022's dry and hot summer, but I'm sure there are other factors also.

The Dutch Butterfly Conservation released an article about a month ago stating that the three most common "whites" (Large White, Small White, Green-veined White) are doing very poorly this year. The cold spring or the dry summer last year are named as potential factors - notably because these three species eat as a caterpillar in summer and winter as a pupa, which makes them vulnerable to both. Also of note is that Brimstone and Orange Tip seem to have had a very good spring this year, so not all species are hit equally hard.