There could be a cure for the summertime Blues
EXPERTS HOPE HEATWAVE WILL GIVE A BOOST TO THESE PRETTY BUTTERFLIES
IT’S not just Londoners who are loving the heatwave this year, butterflies are seeing a particular resurgence thanks to the hot weather.
Numbers of the Common Blue butterfly soared during last year’s hot weather, increasing by 104 per cent on the previous summer.
Given the UK is already enjoying another scorcher this year and with the Met Office forecasting above average temperatures in August, experts from wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are predicting the Common Blue could see their best ever summer.
The butterfly is not normally found in gardens but prefers wilder grassland such as those found in the Lea Valley.
In urban settings they can be found in cemeteries.
Butterfly Conservation is urging the public to help monitor the critters as part of the Big Butterfly Count.
People wanting to get involved just need to record the number of butterflies they see over 15 minutes while outside in bright weather and then upload their findings online.
Butterfly Conservation’s senior surveys officer, Dr Zoe Randle, said: “It would really help us if people could get outside and look for this butterfly, so we can see if its fortunes really have turned around or if the Common Blue still needs our help.”
The species has been otherwise struggling for the past 40 years in the face of habitat decline.
The male of the species has bright blue wings, while females can be identified by orange crescents on their dark brown/purple wings, with a blue tinge near the body.
The underside of the wings of both sexes have numerous black spots, with white halos and orange marks around the edges.
Corinne Pluchino, chief executive of Campaign for National Parks said: “This is a great opportunity to help chart the progress of this beautiful blue butterfly and we’d love to know where our top Common Blue colonies are.”