Castle visitors urged to help track butterfly’s march north
VISITORS to castles are being asked to keep a lookout for marbled white butterflies to help track the insect’s march north.
The marbled white has seen numbers rise by 50 per cent in the last 40 years, wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation said.
The butterfly, which historically had its heartland in central southern England, has also expanded its range, particularly in south-east England, the Midlands and Yorkshire.
Climate change is thought to be behind the boost in numbers, as warmer temperatures have allowed it to colonise new areas of long grass which have escaped intensive farming methods.
Butterfly Conservation and English Heritage are now asking people to look out for the marbled white and other grassland butterflies on visits to castles, many of which are surrounded by meadows and grasslands.
Butterfly Conservation’s president, Sir David Attenborough, said: “The spectacle of a summer meadow brought to life by countless marbled whites pottering amongst the wildflowers is one of the unexpected treats of the British countryside. This species is not only one of our most beautiful, but it also represents a butterfly success story, adapting to our changing climate to march north while increasing its population.”
English Heritage cares for the most castles in England, and the grounds around the sites provide habitat for wildlife such as butterflies – including Scarborough Castle and Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire. Visitors are being urged to record butterflies they see at the castles as part of this year’s Big Butterfly Count, which runs until next Sunday.