A study involving researchers from Michigan State University's Department of Agricultural Food and Resource Economics and W.K. Kellogg Biological Station found that insecticide use, particularly neonicotinoids, is the largest factor contributing to the decline in butterfly abundance and species diversity in the Midwest.
The study analyzed farm-level data on crops and insecticide inputs, linking it with county-level butterfly abundance, and revealed an 8% decline in butterfly species diversity associated with the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds.
While effective in controlling agricultural pests, the widespread use of insecticides, especially neonicotinoids that are absorbed into plant tissues, has had unintended consequences on non-target species like butterflies, which are crucial for pollination and serve as indicators of broader insect decline.
While Europe has banned neonicotinoids due to risks to bees, the United States is still deliberating on conservation measures for monarch butterflies, which are also affected by insecticide use.
Sources: The New York Times, Futurity, Environmental Health News, Michigan State University (canr.msu.edu)
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
