Butterfly causes a flap with big count

RED ADMIRALS have had a record summer despite wet weather conditions causing problems for other butterflies, conservationists have revealed.

Results from the Big Butterfly Count show the striking red admirals saw numbers rise by 75 per cent compared to 2016, with more than 73,000 spotted by the public in the three-week survey.

It is the highest number since the citizen science count began in 2010, and as many as were counted in the last three years put together, the scheme’s organisers Butterfly Conservation said.

The boom in numbers saw it come second in the overall rankings for most commonly seen butterflies, behind the gatekeeper which also saw its numbers up 24 per cent on 2016.

Other widespread butterflies did well this year, including the comma which saw numbers rise 90 per cent on last year’s count, and the small copper saw a 62 per cent increase. But the UK’s common white butterflies all declined by more than a third on last year’s numbers, making it one of the worst years for the three species.

Butterfly Conservation’s head of recording, Richard Fox, said: “It hasn’t been a vintage summer for butterflies, but there have been some real positives.”

Overall, people taking part in the Big Butterfly Count saw the lowest number of butterflies since the scheme began, with an average of just 11 individuals.

A mild winter and warm spring meant some species emerged earlier than normal and were past their peak by the time of the count. But red admirals were helped by the mild winter and warm spring, which followed a good year in 2016 for the species.

Red admirals used to be just a summer visitor which migrated from warmer parts of Europe in the spring and summer, but while many still migrate, many now overwinter in the UK.