Shocking statistics have been released by the UK wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation about the decline in the number of butterflies and moths in Britain.

According to their Senior Surveys Officer, this year’s results show that the average number of butterflies and moths per count is the lowest they’ve ever recorded.

Jacqui Knight, founding trustee of the Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust, who has been interested in butterflies for more than 60 years, is even more concerned.

“I am sure that we are seeing less butterflies every year in New Zealand,” she said. “There are many people focusing on helping monarchs but in some cases they’re contributing to the decline by not understanding the diseases.”

As well as monarchs, she was very concerned about NZ’s other species of butterflies and moths.

“Very few people are aware of our other spectacular butterflies such as the red admiral, the coppers and the forest ringlet,” she added. “And there are about 2,000 species of moth. More than 90% of them are only found in NZ.”

“These days with so many new immigrants I am concerned that less people are aware of our precious butterflies and moths. We need to do more for our invertebrate species, understanding them, identifying them.”

Knight mentioned that the NZ website, inaturalist.nz, was a great place to start learning about the little things in NZ’s natural world, and then take action.

“If everyone was to plant a host plant – one on which the adult butterflies and moths can lay eggs, and on which the caterpillars feed – it would be a great beginning. Not only that, but if people added three or four nectar sources to their gardens it would be great for all our pollinators.”

“After all, about one-third of our food crops depend on our animal pollinators. NZ’s primary produce and GDP would also suffer. A world without our pollinator friends is unimaginable.”

“There are other ways to help on the website www.nzbutterflies.org.nz and by receiving the magazine BUTTERFLIES, our financial supporters help us in our education initiatives,” she added.

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