Name: Endangered butterfly thrives in unlikely weather twist
Uploaded: 2026-01-17T14:08:40.481Z
Duration: 41 s
Description: The Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly lives in far South Florida and is incredibly rare. But in a surprise twist, more of them are found in years after a hurricane.

The Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly lives in far South Florida and is incredibly rare. But in a surprise twist, more of them are found in years after a hurricane.

Florida

Researchers have discovered that the endangered Shouse's swallowtail butterfly, native to far south Florida, experiences population increases in years following hurricanes. The storms strip away taller trees, allowing more sunlight to reach the low, dense foliage where these butterflies feed and lay eggs. 

This unexpected benefit of hurricanes leads to flourishing smaller plants, which in turn support the recovery and growth of the rare butterfly's population. The findings highlight a surprising ecological relationship between severe weather events and the survival of an endangered species.

Endangered butterfly thrives in unlikely weather twist

This endangered butterfly finds salvation in a most unlikely source—hurricanes. Shouse's swallowtail butterfly lives in far south Florida and is incredibly rare. But there are more of them in some years than others, and scientists turned to weather data to find out why. In a surprise twist, they discovered the population increases in years following a hurricane. The reason lies in the low, dense foliage where Shouse's swallowtails feed and lay their eggs. Hurricanes strip away the taller trees, exposing the lower ones to more sunlight. The smaller plants flourish, and so do these rare and beautiful creatures.

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