Butterflies are highly sensitive indicators of the health of the environment. Just as bees, they play crucial roles in the food chain.
Europe has ?? (59 in the UK) species of butterflies.
?? (Five in the UK) species of butterfly have become extinct in the last 150 years. These are the Mazarine Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Black-veined White, Large Copper and Large Blue. (Large Blue was successfully reintroduced in 1992)
Butterfly numbers are declining. Monitoring data from 18 EU Member States show that between populations of 15 grassland butterfly species decreased by almost 30% over the last 30 years,
Butterflies suffer from pesticide use. The different stages of development are very vulnerable.
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