More than half of the butterfly in the UK in a long -term decrease

A poll found that more than half of the butterfly in the UK has groups of residents in a long -term decrease.

The UK butterfly monitoring plan said that 31 of 59 species have decreased numbers since 1976, when monitoring began.

It was also found that the year 2024 was the fifth year of the butterfly numbers throughout the country, with all species with the exception of eight types in the previous year-although the population can fluctuate on an annual basis in response to the weather.

Dr. Richard Fox, head of science in preserving the butterfly, who conducted the study, said that the long -term decline was “completely on the way we manage the scenery.”

While many types of butterfly showed a decrease in the population last year, nine worshipers have ever suffered – with the amazing leader of the leader, encrypted white wood, Chaalk Hill Blue sees sharp drops compared to the previous year.

But 22 species have been found for great losses since the start of the observation.

Among them has been the small turtle butterfly, whose numbers have decreased by 86 % in the past 49 years, while the green white butterfly witnessed a decrease of 28 %.

I had the common butterflies that lived in gardens, gardens and the countryside in 2024. It showed only six types of increases in their numbers since 2023.

Dr. Fox said that the numbers of the fallen butterfly were due to “the destruction of wildlife rich habitats” by humans, as well as the use of pesticides and other pollutants.

He added that butterflies are an important indication of the environment for humans.

“When the butterflies decrease, we know that there are major problems in our environment,” Dr. Fox told the BBC Radio 4 today.

The butterfly collections fluctuate annually in response to the weather. The study said that the low -2024 numbers were partially due to a wet spring followed by a relatively cold summer.

But Dr. Fox indicated that climate change means that the unusual weather has become more frequent.

“When we have bad weather, butterfly groups already exhausted these are very weak and cannot wear as they did before,” he said.

Dr. Fox said that the change was subject to reflection and urged people to allow the gardens brilliantly and their grass for a long time during the summer – as this increased a number of various butterflies.

The plan asked the volunteers to count the butterflies across 3552 locations in the UK.