Beloved butterfly’s days may be numbered

IT RANKS as one of the UK’s bestloved insects, but conservationists have warned that the days of spotting the small tortoiseshell butterfly in the nation’s gardens may be numbered.

Numbers of the species – which is one of the most recognisable and widespread in the country – appear to have plummeted this summer. This year, numbers have been worryingly low as the cool spring and slow start to the summer appear to have taken their toll on the butterfly’s attempts to breed and feed.

Small tortoiseshell sightings are significantly down across the UK and gardeners are being urged to join a garden butterfly survey to help build a picture of what is happening.

Conservationists said the butterfly has endured a tumultuous recent history with its population plummeting by 73 per cent since the 1970s. It had seen its numbers rise over the last few years and hopes were high that it was on the path to recovery but this summer’s poor showing could mean the small tortoiseshell is set for yet more years of decline.

Butterfly Conservation’s head of recording, Richard Fox, said: “We don’t understand what is causing the drastic long-term decline of this familiar and muchloved butterfly. Theories involve climate change, pollution and parasitic flies that kill the butterfly’s caterpillars, but we need more information.”

Gardeners are being urged to plant pollinator-friendly plants and help record the butterflies they see. The UK’s estimated 22million gardens represent an area about the size of Somerset and, at a time when butterflies are in severe decline, offer a potentially huge and vitally important habitat.