Butterflies act as wildlife indicators, warning us of ecosystem
changes Although butterflies may seem like an attractive
addition to your flower garden they are a more important insect
than most people realize. Acting as a vital wildlife indicator,
butterflies can tell us almost everything we need to know about
the health of an ecosystem. But from the Meadow Brown to the
Swallowtail, British native butterfly species are slowly
disappearing. According to a report by the Dorset-based charity
Butterfly Conservation, 72 per cent of butterfly and moth
species have declined in the last ten years, and 54 per cent
have decreased in the UK. Even the abundance of common garden
butterflies, such as the Red Admiral, has dropped by 24 per
cent. Butterflies react extremely quickly to even minor changes
in the environment, making them both a good indicator of
biodiversity and providing an early warning system for other
reductions in wildlife. As a result, they are now the best-
monitored group of insects in the world. A decl