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Butterflies are as beautiful as the flowers they feed on.
蝴蝶和它们赖以生存的花朵一样美丽。
But they appear to be less abundant than in years past and that has scientists worried.
但数量似乎比过去几年少了许多，这引起了科学家们的担忧。
Because butterflies, bees and other beneficial bugs pollinate plants and are crucial to as much as 80% of what we eat.
因为蝴蝶、蜜蜂和其他有益的昆虫给植物授粉，这对我们百分之八十的食物至关重要。
Our ecosystems depend, not just in a minor way but in a major way,
我们的生态系统在很大程度上
on a diversity of insects doing a diversity of things.
依赖于各种昆虫做各种各样的事情。
And when we decrease the number of individuals and the number of species we're devastating ecosystem function.
当个体和物种数量减少时，生态系统的功能就会受到破坏。
Why does that matter? Cause that it's ecosystems that support humans.
为什么它很重要？因为生态系统维持着人类。
But those life-support systems that keep us alive, even if we live in a city,
即使我们生活在城市，这些生命维持系统依然在维持着我们，
are produced by healthy ecosystems. And none of these ecosystems will run well without insects.
这些系统都是由健康的生态系统创建的，没有昆虫，这些生态系统将无法很好地运作。
Insects rely on weeds and native plants for food and shelter.
昆虫以杂草和本地植物为食物和栖身之所，
And both of those are dwindling in the United States as manicured lawns and single-crop agriculture spread across the landscape.
而在美国，随着修剪整齐的草坪和单一作物的农业遍布各地，这两种作物都在减少。
But entomologist Doug Tallamy says more and more Americans are following his lead by letting their gardens go wild.
但是昆虫学家道格·托勒密说，越来越多的美国人跟随他的脚步，放任自己的花园生长。
A lot of homeowners are interested in doing this. How can I increase the ecological integrity of my landscape?
很多业主对此很感兴趣，即自己如何才能提高景观的生态完整性？
How can I get my landscape to contribute to local ecosystems instead of degrading them? That's growing interest.
如何才能使自己的景观为当地的生态系统做出贡献，而不是降低它们的价值？这正引起人们越来越多的兴趣。
And many US states are trying to help by creating bug-friendly habitats along highways.
许多大州正在高速路沿线建立昆虫栖息地。
As part of a three-year study, Maryland is seeing how roadsides which are often just grassy strips can come back to life
在马里兰，人们试图将路旁的绿化带重换生机，这也是三年研究项目的一部分，
with less mowing, bee-friendly native wildflowers and targeted herbicide use.
通过少割草，种植吸引蜜蜂的野花，以及使用定向除草剂。
We're also seeing a lot of bees coming back.
我们还看到很多蜜蜂回来了。
Many, we've had over 70 different species that we've reported on the roadsides now and a couple of new county records.
路旁昆虫种类目前已超过70种，还有一些新的县级记录。
The efforts to support a healthy and diverse ecosystem will help bees, butterflies and people.
维持健康多样的生态系统将帮助蜜蜂、蝴蝶和人类。
I'm Faith Lapidus VOA news.
法斯·拉皮德斯美国之音报道。
