Britain’s Warmest Spring Brings out the Butterflies

Still don’t believe in climate change? Well talk to Britain’s butterfly experts who are astounded that at least 11 species of butterfly have made their earliest recorded appearances after Britain’s warmest spring on record.

Of Britain’s 59 resident and regular migrant species, 37 have now appeared, and of these, all except one (the orange tip) have emerged earlier than they would have done a decade ago, according to the wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation. More remarkably still, 11 of them have broken all records for early emergence, some by scarcely-believable margins.

“We have been monitoring Britain’s butterfly populations for decades, but we have never seen anything like this,” said Martin Warren, the charity’s chief executive. “It’s quite extraordinary.

He adds: “Butterfly data, collected by hundreds of UK recorders, definitely points to climate change. Species are not only emerging early, but several species are extending their geographic range northwards”.