Industry experts there say the insects played a small part in the country’s dramatic reforestation, before being recruited to travel to exhibits around the world where the creatures encourage museum visitors to protect the species in their own backyards.

San José

Costa Rica has become the leading exporter of butterflies globally, supplying live specimens to exhibits and museums around the world. The industry began in the 1980s, coinciding with national efforts to reverse deforestation through regulation, incentives, and ecotourism. Companies like Costa Rica Entomological Supply (CRESS) export around half a million butterflies annually, supporting distributed farming models that provide livelihoods for local families.

The butterfly industry has contributed to the country's reforestation by encouraging less aggressive agricultural practices and fostering ecological preserves. Exhibits featuring Costa Rican butterflies aim to educate visitors about the importance of pollinators and inspire conservation efforts in their own communities. Experts emphasize the role of butterflies in ecosystems and advocate for practices such as planting native species and avoiding insecticides to support local populations.

Costa Rica is the largest exporter of butterflies in the world

If you've ever walked into a live butterfly exhibit anywhere in the world, there's a good chance some of those butterflies came from Costa Rica. Costa Rica is the largest exporter of butterflies as a country. Sergio Siles is the commercial manager of Costa Rica Entomological Supply, or CRESS, widely regarded as the first commercial butterfly exporter in all of Latin America. By their estimates, CRESS exports about half a million butterflies every year. This started in the mid-80s when the butterfly exhibition industry was just getting started. At that time, only about a quarter of Costa Rica's forests remained after decades of unchecked deforestation. The government sought to turn things around through regulation, financial incentives, and ecotourism. And it worked. Over the next two decades, the country's forests returned. And part of that credit goes to the butterflies. It's a distributed farming model. We have many families across the country, instead of dedicating themselves to other more aggressive agricultural practices, they were able to sustain their families breeding butterflies. This is Cristal Barantes of Piorella Garden. It's an ecological preserve that started with butterflies. Ah yes, look, there are little tiny caterpillars here that just born. These are caterpillars of the owl butterflies. You start with butterflies, but if you have vision and commitment, you can expand and do way more expensive protection and conservation work. All of this, 30 years ago, in 1995, was only grass for cows. There was nothing. But now, thanks to the butterflies, this is a forest and it's a refuge for many species of animals. For example, over 120 different species of birds we have here. Each farmer collects the necessary butterfly pupae and delivers them to Cress. Cress then inspects, packs, and ships them out. In just a few days, the pupae arrive at butterfly exhibits around the world, including in New York City. We're at the Davis Family Butterfly Bavarium at the American Museum of Natural History. The visitors can come in and interact with the butterflies and hopefully gain a greater appreciation of their role in the environment. Butterflies are fascinating. They're pollinators for many plants that depend on them, and also they're a really important part of the food web. In the U.S., butterfly populations are quickly declining, so curators hope that fostering interest can inspire people to care about these creatures right at home. If you have any kind of garden space, a primary thing to be aware of is not to use any kind of insecticide. Planting native plants, you're going to encourage the local species to come that have evolved with the native plants. We really focus on making sure butterflies can serve as ambassadors of nature, because once we love nature, we know that we need to take care of it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

Jerusalem

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

House debates Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' ahead of final vote

CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.

New York

Diddy denied bail, avoids life in prison

President Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but it remains unclear if Hamas will accept the terms. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta has more.

Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions

Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

New details revealed as Kohberger pleads guilty for 2022 Idaho murders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a state abortion law that was adopted in 1849 in a 4-3 landmark decision. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Madison

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down 176-year-old state abortion ban

Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin in Russia in February 2022, but dialogue eventually stalled.

Paris

Macron held 'substantial' phone call with Putin

President Trump toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center he teamed up with Ron DeSantis to build in the Everglades.

Everglades

Protesters gather around ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as President Trump visits

Jurors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial said they have reached a verdict on four of the five counts, but they cannot reach a verdict on Count 1, which is racketeering conspiracy. The judge has instructed the jury to keep deliberating. Deliberations will resume Wednesday (July 2).

Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs case

The U.S. Senate passed the Republicans' reconciliation bill on Tuesday (July 1) after more than 24 hours of marathon voting on amendments. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.

U.S. Senate passes Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

The new order does not rescind existing sanctions on ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad, his top aides, officials and family members who are accused of having committed war crimes and human rights violations against Syrian civilians.

Trump signs executive order lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria

Former criminology graduate student Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to killing four Idaho college students in 2022, a move that would spare him the death penalty under a deal with prosecutors, ABC News reported on Monday (June 30).

Moscow

Suspect in murders of four Idaho college students to plead guilty

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government fighting for survival on multiple fronts.

Bangkok

Thai court suspends PM from duty pending case seeking her dismissal

Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people across Gaza on June 30 in some of the heaviest attacks in weeks as Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Israel strikes pound Gaza, killing 60, ahead of U.S. talks

U.S. President Donald Trump says he's not planning to extend the pause on global tariffs set to expire on July 9. Brian Schwartz, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joins CBS News to discuss.

Trump says he's not planning to extend July 9 global tariff deadline

The jury has informed the judge in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial that they have concerns about one juror's ability to follow the court's instructions. Deliberations in the trial are underway.

Jury in Sean "Diddy" Combs trial sends note to judge

Jury deliberations are set to begin in the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman has the latest updates.