ARCHIVES
VOL. 10, ISSUE 2 (2025)
The effects of insecticides on butterflies: A comprehensive review
Authors
Anup Kumar Verma, Neha Kumari, Dr. Abhinav Singh
Abstract
Butterflies are valued in land ecosystems for
pollinating flowers, being food for other creatures and showing when the
environment is changing. There have been continual reports that the butterfly
population is declining throughout the globe over the last few decades. Lower
populations of birds are commonly caused by the wide-ranging use of pesticides,
whether on farms or city areas. Here, we bring evidence of how the different
types of insecticides—neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, organophosphates and
carbamates—can influence butterfly growth. These compounds may be deadly or
dangerous in different ways, for example, by spraying them, consuming
contaminated nectar and pollen or by absorbing them through eating treated host
plants. Larval and adult fish can be killed by acute toxicity, a very serious
outcome. Examples of sublethal effects are less noticeable and show up as
decreased movement, eating habit changes, struggles with direction and
reductions in reproductive success. When behaviour and body functions
transform, the whole animal group can be impacted, for example, migration is
halted and recruiting goes down. Eventually, butterfly diversity and the
services they give to nature could be endangered. In addition, the current
guidelines for judging pesticide toxicity pay little attention to butterflies.
Instead, scientists concentrate on a handful of study animals, one of which is
the honeybee. Because of this regulation, it is clear that we need to conduct
butterfly-focused risks, update environmental rules and apply Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) to decrease other insects’ exposure to pesticides. To help
butterflies, major reforms are needed in regulating agrochemicals and using
land to safeguard strong ecosystems.
Download
Pages:59-65
How to cite this article:
Anup Kumar Verma, Neha Kumari, Dr. Abhinav Singh "The effects of insecticides on butterflies: A comprehensive review". International Journal of Zoology Studies, Vol 10, Issue 2, 2025, Pages 59-65
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.