The bees aren't the only things doing a vanishing act in recent years. It turns out that butterflies are in decline as well at an alarming rate. Scientists published a new study that found the butterfly population is rapidly declining.
Researchers are concerned about the effects it may have on the environment. They published their study in the journal Science. In the past two decades, 22 percent of butterflies have disappeared. Nick Haddad, a Michigan State University ecologist, opened up about why the insects are suddenly disappearing.
He said the data shocked him at first. Researchers measured more than 12 million butterfly encounters over the past 20 years. They found that 1 out of every five butterflies has disappeared. What's more, 107 out of the 342 species lost more than half of their populations. Meanwhile, 22 species declined by more than 90 percent in numbers.
"In my mind, I was nodding, thinking, 'Oh, they just went out on a bad day,' " he told the Washington Post. "Butterflies have been declining the last 20 years. And we don't see any sign that that's going to end."
Meanwhile, a co-researcher called it a big wake-up call.
"Losing one out of every five butterflies over 20 years should be a big wake-up call to people," Dr. Eliza Grames, an assistant professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, told CBS News. "These declines are not stopping."
"The study is a much-needed, Herculean assessment," he said. " "The tree of life is being denuded at unprecedented rates. I find it deeply disheartening. We can and must do better."
"They're beautiful, right?" Haddad told the Post. "I do think there's a way that butterflies enrich our lives through thinking about biodiversity that isn't possible for all other insects."
