Podcast: Butterfly Pavilion On Butterfly Crisis

As climate change becomes an increasingly prevalent issue throughout the state of Colorado, the local butterflies are feeling the effects. Butterflies, as pollinators, are critical to the long-term viability of our state’s ecosystem. 

Unfortunately, butterfly populations have been decreasing drastically over the past 50 years due to increased temperature across Colorado, loss of vegetation like milkweed and wildflowers, and increased pollution. A recent study by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources suggests that Colorado’s butterfly population has decreased by over 50% in the last 35 years.

How concerned should we be about Colorado’s falling butterfly population? Is this indicative of more scary and drastic climate-induced changes to come? On December’s episode of the Bucket List Community Cafe Podcast, we sat down with Shiran Hershcovich, senior lepidopterist at Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, to talk about the role climate change has played on the butterfly population and how it affects everyone.