AI Summary
5 min read92% of butterfly host plants in Albuquerque were contaminated with pesticides
That number comes from a 2024 study published in the Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, conducted by scientists at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in collaboration with the University of Nevada, Reno. Researchers sampled 155 butterfly host plants across public parks and private gardens in Albuquerque, testing leaves for pesticide residues. The results were striking: 92% of plants carried at least one pesticide, and the average plant carried 2.6 different compounds. Some plants had up to 11. The most common contaminant, found on 70% of samples, was the herbicide atrazine.
Why urban habitat matters for butterflies
Jacqueline Winrostra, urban policy lead and pesticide program specialist at Xerces, explains that urban habitats hold "incredible potential" for butterfly conservation. People can install host plants in their own neighborhoods. But that potential is undercut if the plants themselves are contaminated. The study was designed to find out whether the habitat people are working to create is actually safe. The answer, in Albuquerque at least, is that most of it is not.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:46) **Introducing Jacqueline and the Pesticide Team** - Caitlin welcomes Jacqueline Winroestro, urban policy lead and pesticide program specialist at the Xerces Society, to discuss protecting pollinators from pesticides.
- 2 (03:21) **How the Pesticide Team Works** - The team uses on-the-ground research to assess habitat contamination and provides technical advice to land managers and policymakers.
- 3 (07:12) **Albuquerque Butterfly Host Plant Study: Background** - A recent study sampled 155 butterfly host plants in Albuquerque to assess pesticide contamination in urban habitats.
- 4 (09:16) **Why Urban Pesticide Research Matters** - 25% of all pesticide use occurs in residential areas, yet urban contamination is understudied compared to agricultural landscapes.
- 5 (11:56) **Key Findings: 92% Contamination** - 92% of the 155 sampled butterfly host plants were contaminated with at least one pesticide, with an average of 2.6 pesticides per plant (up to 11).
- 6 (14:02) **Most Common Pesticide Found: Atrazine** - The herbicide atrazine was found on 70% of plants, the most prevalent compound.
- 7 (17:28) **Regulatory Gaps and Unknown Risks** - The study highlights major gaps: pesticide risk assessments only use the European honeybee, ignoring butterflies and other insects.
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Show Notes
On this month’s edition of People, Plants, and Pollinators, Katlin sits down with Jacqueline Buenrostro, Pesticide Program Specialist and Urban Policy Lead at the Xerces Society, to discuss how pesticides and insecticides affect pollinators and other beneficial invertebrates—and what we can do to help protect them.
For more information on pollinator kits visit New Mexico Pollinator Habitat Kits | Xerces Society and submit a proposal by June 30th.
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