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The Importance Of Butterflies In Our Ecosystem
In every continent across the world other than Antarctica, you will find butterflies fluttering around. Across the globe, there are over 17,000 different species of butterflies in a wide array of beautiful colors, shapes, and sizes. Not only are these iconic insects beautiful to look at, they are extremely important part of our ecosystem as well. Here are some of the critical roles that butterflies play in our ecosystem and why their survival is vital:
Butterflies and Pollination
Today, over 90 percent of all plants need a pollinator to move pollen from a male plant to a female plant in order to set seeds. The main workforce that takes care of this process is composed of insects. With the world bee population in disarray, much of this crucial pollination is left to butterflies. Without butterflies, many plants would not be pollinated which would result in less plant life.
Due to the way butterflies pollinate plants, it also helps spur cross pollination which can lead to plant diversity. This means plants will be more resilient, increasing their chances of long-term survival in nature.
Pest Control
In addition to pollinating plants, many species of butterflies are also a form of natural pest control which keeps unwanted bugs away from certain plants, allowing them to flourish without the need for chemical insecticides.
Members Of The Food Chain
Butterflies are also extremely important to the food chain. They are the source of food for many animals, birds in particular. Without butterflies, these animals would lose a significant portion of their diet. In turn, animals that they are food for would also lose their natural food source. Ultimately the loss of butterflies could result in the entire collapse of certain ecosystems just based on their use as a food source.
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