Butterfly boom in perfect summer

Results from this year’s Big Butterfly Count show four times as many butterflies recorded as in 2012 due to the extended spell of warm, sunny weather in July and August.

Numbers of Large and Small Whites and Small Tortoiseshell have tripled and there has been a huge rise in the Peacock population.

Higher temperatures have also attracted visitors from the Continent including Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and the rarely seen Long-tailed Blue.

The survey, conducted by Butterfly Conservation in association with Marks and Spencer, attracted a record-breaking 46,000 contributors who counted more than 830,000 butterflies and day-flying moths.

“It has been a truly memorable summer for butterflies, a wonderful spectacle for the many thousands of people who’ve helped with the Big Butterfly Count and a lifeline to the UK’s hard-pressed butterfly populations, “said Richard Fox Butterfly Conservation Surveys Manager.

For information on the Big Butterfly Count see www.bigbutterflycount.org/about

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