Butterfly that’s got nature lovers all a-flutter
A SPECTACULAR black and white butterfly was revealed yesterday as one of Britain’s nature success stories.
Marbled whites are enjoying a population boom, with numbers rising 50 per cent over the past 40 years.
At the same time they have expanded their range ever northwards from their stronghold in the long grasses of southern England to the Midlands and Yorkshire.
And yesterday TV naturalist Sir David Attenborough urged people to look out for marbled whites, particularly on visits to English Heritage castles which often have the right habitat in their grounds.
Sir David, president of Butterfly Conservation, asked for sightings of the marbled white to be sent in to its Big Butterfly Count, which runs until Sunday.
He said: “The spectacle of a summer meadow brought to life by countless marbled whites pottering among the wild flowers is one of the unexpected treats of the British countryside. The grasslands around our castles are fantastic places to take part in the Big Butterfly Count.
“They are not only good spots for the marbled white, but also species such as the common blue and gatekeeper.”
To take part in the Big Butterfly Count find a sunny spot and spend 15 minutes counting the butterflies.
Sightings can be submitted online at bigbutterflycount.org or via the free Big Butterfly Count smartphone app.