Butterflies
Conservation
Habitat loss to agriculture, deforestation, urbanization, draining of wetlands, and other changes in land-use is the foremost threat to butterfly populations. Although pollution, pesticides, and specimen collection pose serious threats to some species, none of these is as damaging as habitat loss. The short life span of butterflies usually makes it impossible for displaced populations to find another appropriate habitat. Although no species of butterfly is known to have been made extinct through human actions, some subspecies have been rendered extinct, and some rare species are endangered. Protection of habitat is the most effective way to prevent major reductions in populations and endangerment of butterflies, and of other wild animals and plants.
Resources
Books
Eid, A., and M. Viard. Butterflies and Moths of the World. Book Sales Pubs., 1997.
Feltwell, John. The Natural History of Butterflies. New York: Facts on File, 1986.
Pollard, Ernest. Monitoring Butterflies for Ecology and Conservation. London: Chapman & Hall, 1993.
Sbordoni, V., and S. Forestiero. Butterflies of the World. Firefly Books, 1998.
Scott, James A. The Butterflies of North America. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001.
Smart, Paul. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Butterfly World. New York: Random House, 1996.
Periodicals
Barbour, Spider. "Overnight Sensation." Natural History (May 1989): 24-28.
Boppre, Michael. "Sex, Drugs, and Butterflies." Natural History (January 1994): 28-33.
Marie L. Thompson
Additional topics
Science EncyclopediaScience & Philosophy: Boolean algebra to Calcium PropionateButterflies - Evolution, Development And Life Cycle, The Egg, The Caterpillar, The Chrysalis, The Adult (or Imago)