The population of butterflies in the U.S. is declining at a concerning rate, according to new research published in the journal Science.

The overall number of the vital pollinators has decreased by more than a fifth this century, the scientists said, raising concerns about long-term impacts.

The most significant population declines occurred in the southwestern region, which includes Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

While butterflies have been the focus of extensive study, most analyses have either been limited in geographic scope or drawn from a single monitoring program. In a significant effort to address this gap, researchers analyzed data from over 12.6 million individual butterflies collected from more than 76,000 surveys across 35 monitoring programs.

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Their findings indicate a troubling trend: between 2000 and 2020, total butterfly abundance across the contiguous United States dropped by 22% among the 554 species recorded.

The decline was widespread, with 13 times as many species experiencing decreases in population as those that saw increases.

This pervasive trend across all regions underscores the urgent need for protective measures to prevent further losses of butterfly populations.

Scientists said factors including habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change have led to the decline.

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