(Michigan News Source) – In Michigan’s meadows and across the U.S., butterflies are quietly vanishing – and it’s not just a seasonal fluke.

A new study in the journal Science tracked butterfly populations across the lower 48 states from 2000 to 2020 and found a major decline – nearly 42% on average for many species. Of the 342 butterfly species with enough data to analyze, one-third are declining rapidly, while only a handful are increasing.

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Researchers say the culprits are behind the problem include habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. Using decades of survey data from both volunteers and scientists, the study paints a bleak picture – especially since butterfly tracking didn’t even start until after some damage was likely already done.

Some regions are hit harder than others, and not every butterfly is in danger. But overall, the trend is clear: fewer butterflies in fewer places.

Why care? Because butterflies aren’t just beautiful – they help pollinate plants and act like canaries in the coal mine when it comes to environmental health. Their disappearance could signal bigger problems on the horizon.

Experts say turning this around won’t be easy – it’ll take changes in farming, land use, and how we deal with rising temperatures. But the time to act, they say, is now.