Many threats face butterflies and moths. The biggest threats are habitat change and destruction.
Butterflies and moths can eat only certain plants. They can only live in certain areas. Insecticides and pollution kill millions of them each year. A mall plopped down in their feeding and breeding grounds can be a disaster. One species in California, the Xerces (ZER-seez) blue, has already become extinct. Its habitat was so changed, it had nowhere to live. So it died out. More than 20 other butterfly and moth species are on the U.S. government’s endangered species list.
Fortunately, there are things we can all do to help. Let’s pitch in to keep butterflies and moths dancing as long as we all may live.
