New Delhi, April 23 -- Road verges may hold the key to rewilding our cities, according to a new study from Singapore that finds these overlooked strips of greenery can boost butterfly populations-even in concrete-heavy urban jungles.

The research, published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning, revealed that floral diversity and structural complexity within road verges increased both the abundance and richness of butterfly species. The researchers assessed 101 road verges across Singapore, a densely populated city-state that has branded itself "a City in Nature".

The study, which observed 56 butterfly species across 1,320 nectar-feeding events, adds to a growing body of research urging city planners to look beyond traditional par...