We’re losing our town butterflies

Butterflies are declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside, a study published in the journal Ecological Indicators has revealed. But the majority of butterflies living in our towns and cities are emerging earlier and are on the wing for longer than the same species living in rural areas, the study by Butterfly Conservation (BC), the University of Kent and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) found. Urban parks, gardens, brownfield sites and farms act as important refuges for butterflies and other wildlife but in recent years these areas have come under increasing pressure from development, habitat loss and climate change. The study compared trends for 28 species in urban and countryside environments. Over a 20-year period urban butterfly abundance fell by 69% compared to a 45% decline for butterflies in rural areas. Butterflies are sensitive to environmental change. Declines in abundance in urban areas follow continuing butterfly declines in the wider countryside. Lead researcher Dr Emily Dennis from BC and the University of Kent said: “We used sophisticated statistical techniques to reveal that practically all butterfly species that we assessed were found to be struggling in urban areas, most likely due to the combined effects of habitat loss, climate changes and the intensification of land use.”

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