What are the benefits of butterflies?

1. Pollinate flowers. We all know that bees help pollinate flowers, but most people don’t realize that butterflies also complete this task. Most notable is the butterfly's ability to fly farther than a bee, meaning it is able to pollinate a wider area. They also have excellent color perception compared to bees, which cannot see red. This means that butterflies are selective in choosing brightly colored flowers for pollination.

2. Butterflies play a big role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem and the stability of the overall ecosystem. If there are many butterflies in a place, it means the ecosystem is good. Butterflies are particularly effective at signaling subtle ecosystem changes because their short lifespans allow them to respond quickly to these changes. At the same time, their dependence on climate and weather, their dependence on larvae-eating plants, and their limited ability to move from their natal areas make them very sensitive to such small changes.

3. Help scientists monitor climate change. Due to their sensitivity to climate change, butterflies are very helpful to scientists monitoring global climate change. Changes in temperature can affect where butterflies choose to lay their eggs, the number of eggs they lay, and the development and survival of butterfly larvae.

4. Promote tourism. The beauty of butterflies makes them an insect we all want to see. This can bring good economic benefits to many areas. Every year on the Greek island of Rhodes, a nature reserve called "Valley of the Butterflies" attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, thanks to the many beautiful butterflies found there.

5. Provide antibiotics, which are crucial for treating various bacterial infections. However, many people don’t realize that certain species of butterflies provide us with antibiotics that may be crucial to saving lives. Each type of butterfly has developed its own cocktail of chemicals to attract mates, ward off predators, and overcome the chemical defenses of its host plants. But the meadow brown butterfly, common in Britain, produces potent antibiotics as part of this personal collection of chemicals. Additionally, a scientific study of antimicrobial chemicals produced by different species of butterflies found that nearly all of the antimicrobial chemicals tested were effective against the growth of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus anthracis - which is used to make anthrax. Most tests also prove effective against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The bacteria help kill 90,000 people in the United States each year and has become resistant to many of the antibiotics currently in use.