Butterflies have been declining in the UK for decades. Last year was particularly difficult for them with 40 varieties seeing a dramatic drop in numbers.
Experts think the bad news is a result of the world heating up. A warmer climate sounds like good news for butterflies but here in Britain it has resulted in milder winters and colder springs – both of which are damaging to a variety of butterflies.
Largely pleasant summer weather – normally ideal for butterflies – is arriving later and does little to make up for the damage done earlier in the year.
The world’s climate is changing and butterflies are feeling the effects. The average temperature in Britain is now 1˚C higher than it was 100 years ago and 0.5˚C higher than in the 1970s.
It may not sound like much but three of the 14 warmest years in recorded history have happened in the 21st century. In the last 30 years each decade has been hotter than the previous resulting in our weather becoming increasingly unpredictable.
It’s not all doom and gloom though and these changes have benefitted some species with the
Adonis Blue increasing in frequency in northern Britain along with the
Argus Brown. Hover over the images on this page to learn each butterfly's name.
As we approach summer keep a look out for these increasingly popular species. Other common butterflies you may be lucky enough to see in your garden might be the
Small Tortoiseshell,
Cabbage White and of course the majestic
Red Admiral.
You might also be lucky enough to see one of our favourites, which is not strictly a butterfly at all. The
Atlas moth, from Southeast Asia, can grow to the size of a large dinner plate! So you don’t need to be a lepidopterist (butterfly expert) to experience these incredibly creatures first hand.
It appears a decline in some butterfly species is a good indicator our seasons are changing as a result of global warming. If butterflies did disappear completely from our shores – this along with a much more troubling list of changes would signal an end to the way we currently live our lives as our weather could become shockingly extreme. Thanks for taking the time to read this and please do everything you can to protect our precious environment for future generations.
If you love butterflies as much as we do, remember
we have a huge variety of rare and brilliant butterflies at Tropical World from some of the most exotic corners of the world, like the
Red Lacewing and
Green-banded Swallowtail. Entry to Tropical World is a lot cheaper than a plane ticket to the Philippines where both of these beauties can be found in the wild!
