Michigan's butterfly population fluttering as habitat disappearsMaureen Feighan/
The Detroit NewsDisappearing habitat is clipping the wings of Michigan's beloved butterfly population.
Experts say the population is declining as the prairies, wetlands and woodlands on which butterflies depend are developed. Changing weather, pesticides and invasive plants also affect the population, some say.
"There's less and less habitat every year," said Dwayne Badgero of the Michigan Lepidoptera Survey, which documents butterflies, moths and skippers in Michigan. Skippers are smaller butterflies that have a hook on the end of their antennae.
Local counts at at least two southeastern Michigan parks this summer found fewer butterflies this year than last year, likely in part because of the unusually wet, cold spring. .............(more)
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http://detnews.com/article/20110716/METRO/107160360/Michigan’s-butterfly-population-fluttering-as-habitat-disappears#ixzz1SMmCwk54