Butterfly extinction: within twenty years, half of all insects in temperate areas will be extinct.

There is no good news for the butterflies. And in general for the universe of insects, with api, ants, cicadas, crickets, and grasshoppers: they are all disappearing. The magazine Science devoted its cover story, in the April 2020 issue, to the "disappearance of insects," starting with butterflies.

DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BUTTERFLIES

The numbers are stark, and humanity is squandering one of its most precious natural resources, including biodiversity. The loss of insects, especially butterflies, is projected to be in the order of 9 percent per decade globally, and considering what has already happened, we come to a grim conclusion: by 2040, within twenty years, half of the insects in temperate areas will be extinctAn apocalypse.

In particular the butterflies which, over the centuries, have managed to resist any major change in urban geography, including the advent of factories with the industrial revolution, suffer precisely in the cities where they are becoming increasingly rare.

According to the scientific journal Ecological Indicators the number of butterflies in the cities, worldwide, has decreased by 69 percent in the last twenty years. In particular, there are some species that are now close to complete extinction, such as the panphyla (- 78 percent) and thebronze argus (- 75 percent).

EXTINCTION OF BUTTERFLIES

Let us remember that the loss of insects plays a fundamental role in a series of natural processes. For example: thepollination, the organic and inorganic decomposition, the soil nutrient cycling and their stability and fertility, the food sources in food chains. 80 percent of plants depend on insects for pollination and 60 percent of birds for food.

CAUSES OF THE EXTINCTION OF BUTTERFLIES

But what are the causes of the great butterfly escape? First and foremost is the usual global warming, with the formation of heat islands that enable butterflies to flee to avoid suffocation. Secondly, the concreting of the territory It has led to the same result: a steep rise in temperatures, which is pushing butterflies away from urban centers. Third problem: green areas are decreasing, especially uncultivated ones, where butterflies feel free to roam without the fear of being captured by human hands.

The result of this process of emigration, towards the countryside or towards more welcoming countries, such as the nations of Africa, is a great loss for the entire urban ecosystem, as well as a clear waste of natural beauty. It's as if cities no longer have the basic conditions to host these insects, always searching for the right plants to feed themselves.

PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLIES

Here's something we can all do, without waiting for public administration initiatives, to allow butterflies to return to the city: plant the right plants for themIt's not difficult, also because they are natural crops, inexpensive and easy to manage. For example: the rue, clover,  nasturtiums,  plum trees. And again, the fennel and hawthornButterflies also really like lavender,chive, the nettle and the cornflower. Therefore, each of us can create the most suitable conditions to attract butterflies, with these crops and without the deadly pesticides that instead drive them away.

HOW TO PREVENT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BUTTERFLIES

Based on these premises, many universities, such as the Department of Veterinary Medicine in Milan, are pursuing projects to improve natural ecosystems that support butterfly life. The first is called "Butterfly effect(www.effettofarfalla.net): the techniques for creating natural corridors in the city, where butterflies can live comfortably and feel safe, are carefully indicated. Every citizen is invited to create their own butterfly sanctuary, and then follow it on the website to see the actual results. The second is "Pollinate-me(www.impollina-mi.org), centered around Milan: here too, everyone is asked to create welcoming areas, through plants and crops, for butterflies and bees in the city, even providing a technical and educational manual. Before they disappear completely.

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