Why Butterflies Are Slowly Disappearing from North America

The fading of butterflies starts with a quiet absence. It begins with hardly any caterpillars wriggling from plants and even fewer butterflies stopping to take nectar from a milkweed bush. Across the nation, many butterfly populations are dwindling, and the numbers behind that disappearance are more alarming than people think. Not only are we losing color and beauty, but also vital pollinators, food sources, and indicators of environmental health. For some species, we are already out of time.

A Quick Decline

This major study reviewed over 12 million butterfly records across the United States and found something deeply unsettling: butterfly populations have dropped around 22% over the last two decades. This is not only about the more fragile species; even once-common butterflies are disappearing. Recent research found that for every butterfly species showing population growth in the US, about 13 species are declining. In the US, the cabbage white butterfly has declined by about 50% since 2000. Although the eastern monarch population nearly doubled in the 2024-2025 winter season, the numbers remain well below historical averages. What raises serious concern is that these kinds of drops are not just gradual; they are more of a crash.

Who’s At Risk?

1. Monarch Butterfly

It is likely that you have heard of the monarch butterfly. These iconic pollinators have seen an estimated 80% decline in their eastern migratory populations since the 1990s, and over 95% decline in the western population since the 1980s. Typically, people travel to Mexico to witness the beautiful monarch migrations, but these migrations now represent only a tiny fraction of their former numbers. Thanks to recent conservation efforts and favorable weather, the eastern monarch population nearly doubled in the most recent winter, but the species is still at risk.

These small, brown butterflies are among the rarest in the country. The Poweshiek skipperling was once widespread across the prairies of Michigan and other regions. Now, this species is barely hanging on in tiny pockets of habitat. Poweshiek skipperlings have lost over 95% of their historical range, and in many places they have vanished completely.

These butterflies are highly dependent on their habitats. As deforestation increases, their habitats are reduced, threatening the species. The biggest threats to these butterflies are logging and pesticide use.

More Than Pretty Wings

Butterflies are not just beautiful. They are messengers of the ecosystem’s overall health. Therefore, the disappearance is not just a loss of color, it’s also a warning. Butterflies, along with bees and other insects, help keep ecosystems functioning by fertilizing plants and maintaining biodiversity. Without pollinators, entire food systems can fall apart. Wildflowers do not reproduce, bird populations suffer, and food chains will begin to thin. Caterpillars are food for songbirds, spiders, and even some small mammals. When butterflies disappear, it is not just pollination that is lost; many creatures that depend on them for food, including humans, are also affected.

Butterflies also serve as important indicators of environmental change. Scientists refer to these insects as an “indicator species”. When butterfly populations start declining, that usually means other insect populations are too. When insect populations drop, this is a ripple that extends through every layer of the environment. In this way, butterflies serve as an early warning signal for ecosystem health. Unfortunately, that warning signal is currently sounding.

What Is Causing the Decline?

Multiple factors are causing the decline of butterflies, making it a perfect storm.

• Habitat Loss: Native habitats are being converted into farmland, roads, housing, and industrial space. Butterflies cannot survive in their habitats when they are being bulldozed and not provided with spaces for them to reproduce.

• Pesticides and Herbicides: Insecticides are often nondiscriminatory, meaning they do not just kill pests; they can wipe out pollinators, too. Herbicides like glyphosate also destroy milkweed and nectar plants, leaving butterflies with nowhere to lay eggs and nothing to eat.

• Climate change: Shifts in temperature and weather patterns disrupt migration, breeding, and plant blooming cycles. Disrupting plant blooming cycles can cause a mismatch in when plants bloom and when pollinators are active.

• Fragmentation: Although a habitat might still exist, when it is broken into patches that butterflies cannot easily travel between, it becomes an issue (especially for rare species with limited ranges).

These combined factors can have a rapid impact. Even a small annual decline can cause a species to disappear within a generation.

So, Why Should People Care?

Even if you are not a “bug” person, it is important to defend the systems that we all rely on. Losing butterflies is also losing pollination, birdsong, wildflowers, and much of the natural balance that keeps the environment in check.

We also lose the presence of nature in our daily lives—the surprise of a caterpillar crawling by and the innate beauty of the wilderness—in an increasingly industrialized world.

What Can Be Done?

There is a small glimmer of hope. Butterflies can be incredibly resilient. Providing the right conditions, even in small green spaces like your yard, can help butterfly populations recover.

• Plant Native Species: Wildflowers, milkweed, and herbs are all good examples of native plants that attract butterflies and other pollinators. Choose flowers that bloom in different seasons to ensure food availability year-round. For this, you don’t need a huge yard. A balcony box, strip alongside a road, or corner of your garden can make a difference.

• Skip the Chemicals: Avoid pesticides and herbicides as much as you can. Even organic sprays can harm butterfly eggs and caterpillars.

• Mow Less: Leaving parts of your yard wild can provide important habitats for butterflies.

• Create Overwintering Habitat: Try not to clear every fallen leaf or dead stem in the fall. Some butterflies use these places to overwinter, tucked into the debris.

• Talk About It: Share what you learn. Post pictures and maybe even start a conversation. The more people who know what is happening and care, the more action we can generate for the future.

A Future with Wings

This is not just about conservation; it is also about improving the world we live in. Realizing the importance of these species encourages individuals to continue protecting these vital pollinators. And that can only happen if we give them a chance.

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