Are neonicotinoid insecticides driving declines of widespread butterflies?

• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1402
• Publication Date: 2015-11-24T08:00:12Z
• Authors: Andre S. Gilburn; Nils Bunnefeld; John McVean Wilson; Marc S. Botham; Tom M. Brereton; Richard Fox; Dave Goulson
• Keywords: Neonicotinoid

There has been widespread concern that neonicotinoid pesticides may be adversely impacting wild and managed bees for some years, but recently attention shifted to examining broader effects they having on biodiversity. For example in the Netherlands, declines insectivorous birds are positively associated with levels of pollution surface water. In England, total abundance butterfly species declined by 58% farmed land between 2000 2009 despite both a doubling conservation spending UK, predictions climate change should benefit most species. Here we build models UK population indices from 1985 2012 17 commonly occur at farmland sites. Of factors tested, three correlated significantly populations. Summer temperature index previous year indices. By contrast, number hectares where used is negatively Indices 15 show negative associations usage. The butterflies have largely occurred usage its highest. Scotland, comparatively low, numbers stable. Further research needed urgently whether there causal link decline or it simply represents proxy other environmental intensive agriculture.