Butterflies bounce back
13 September 2010
Britain's butterflies are doing better than previously thought, with some species recovering completely from dramatic falls in population and others thriving even in major cities such as London and Manchester.
The findings are the result of the country's largest-ever butterfly count, carried out by members of the public in their gardens, parks and fields during the last week of July. Some 187,000 sightings were recorded by more than 10,000 people across the country.
The most commonly-seen butterfly was the Small White, followed closely by the Large White. Third on the list, to the surprise and delight of conservationists, was the orange-and-brown Gatekeeper, which had previously been struggling to maintain numbers. It's now thriving in both rural and urban areas.
The most dramatic reversal in fortunes was the Small Tortoiseshell, which had been struggling to survive an infestation of parasitic flies. Populations had dropped by 82% in south-east England, but the butterfly now seems to have recovered to become the ninth most common butterfly seen across the UK.
However Butterfly Conservation warns that overall numbers of butterflies continue to face a serious long-term decline, with half of British species threatened with extinction.
The Big Butterfly Count will be held again next year, building up an ongoing comparison of how butterflies are doing year on year.
Advice on encouraging wildlife in your garden
Wild About Gardens on plants for butterflies