Xerces Blue Butterfly: America's First Human-Driven Insect Extinction
The Xerces blue butterfly, native to California and last seen in 1941, was confirmed as the first American insect species driven to extinction by human activity, with recent genetic analysis proving its distinctness from similar species. Despite its extinction, the butterfly's genome has been sequenced, raising possibilities for future de-extinction efforts, amidst ongoing concerns about insect declines and ecosystem health.