Extinct large blue butterfly is back

A previously extinct butterfly has enjoyed its best summer for 80 years, with the South West having the highest numbers in the world.

The large blue butterfly died out in the UK in 1979 but has now become renowned for its presence at Collard Hill in Somerset, where it was reintroduced in 2000. Thanks to three consecutive years of optimal weather conditions and conservation work by multiple charities, numbers are at a record high.

The population at the National Trust site has doubled in the last year alone, supporting 22 per cent of the UK’S total. The exquisite butterfly is actually relatively small and is difficult to protect due to its complex life cycle.

An ideal habitat has been achieved by planting wild thyme plants and introducing ponies and cattle to carefully graze the site, allowing vital insects to thrive and plants to flower.