Butterflies may be among the most beloved of all creatures, routinely deified in art and verse, but they are in alarming decline in the United States with populations plummeting by a fifth in just the past two decades, according to the most comprehensive study yet of their fortunes. The abundance of butterflies in the US […]
Tag: butterflies
In São Paulo, free-flight lessons help teach macaws to survive in the wild
“I remember my grandfather telling me about the macaws in this region. So, it’s impossible not to smile seeing them back. We know where they sleep and feed, so every time we want to find them, we know where they are,” says biologist Humberto Mendes, a professor at the Federal University of Alfenas in Brazil‘s […]
High fertiliser use halves numbers of pollinators, world’s longest study finds
Using high levels of common fertilisers on grassland halves pollinator numbers and drastically reduces the number of flowers, research from the world’s longest-running ecological experiment has found. Increasing the amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus doused on agricultural grassland reduced flower numbers fivefold and halved the number of pollinating insects, according to the paper by […]
Warming threatens flies more than bees, raising pollination concerns
Life can’t function without insects. At least, not for long. They pollinate, break down waste, cycle nutrients, and touch every node in the web of life, filling endless niches across the planet. As global temperatures continue to rise, some of Earth’s most important but overlooked pollinators, the flies, may be at greater risk than previously […]
National Trust records ‘alarming’ drop in insects and seabirds at its sites
There have been alarming declines this year in some insect species including bees, butterflies, moths and wasps, while many seabirds have also been “hammered” by unstable weather patterns caused by the climate emergency, a conservation charity has said. In its annual report on the impact of the weather on flora and fauna, the National Trust […]
Scientists are racing to save South Asia’s butterflies from the threat of extinction
In the dark undergrowth of mangrove forests, an anthology of color stirs. Flickers of turquoise rise like exhales from the brackish marshlands, and flashes of sunset orange spark alive in the shadows. The Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh and India is largely known as one of the last remaining habitats for the Bengal tiger (Panthera […]
Painted Lady Butterflies Travel 2,600 Miles Across the Atlantic
Painted lady butterflies, scientifically known as Vanessa cardui, are known for their impressive migratory feats. These insects are found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. A recent study published in June by Nature Communications has unveiled astonishing details about their migration patterns, revealing that these butterflies travel thousands of miles across oceans. According to […]
Wildlife Takes Center Stage in These Great Games
If you love animals and what could be more special than spotting them in the wild? If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where you can watch wildlife, then get out there and spot some! However, if you live in a more urban environment, you can enjoy wildlife too, from your computer. There […]