Warm weather prolongs UK butterfly season

Warm weather prolongs UK butterfly season | Patrick Barkham | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Warm weather means the UK is still seeing spectacular displays of native and migrant species as late as October - but this is not good news for butterflies in the long term

There have been numerous reports of newly arrived red admiral, white admiral (seen here) and clouded yellow butterflies along the UK's south coast. Photograph: Neil Hulme/Butterfly Conservation

If you stroll along the South Downs or Beachy Head today, you might imagine it is August, not October. More than one-third of our 59 butterfly species are still flying at a time of year when you would normally only expect to see the odd hardy small tortoiseshell seeking out a dry cranny for hibernation.

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