Early spring sightings show colourful insect is a resident species for first time in decades, says conservation charity
The large tortoiseshell – an elusive and enigmatic butterfly that became extinct in Britain in the last century – is a UK resident species once again, with a flurry of early spring sightings.
Britain’s list of native butterflies has increased to 60 with the return of the insect after individuals emerged from hibernation in woodlands in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.
The sightings have led Butterfly Conservation to declare the large tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) a resident species in the UK – as opposed to a migratory one – for the first time in the charity’s 58-year history.
“The signs are really positive, which is lovely,” said Richard Fox, head of science for Butterfly Conservation. “It is resident and therefore it is another species to add to Britain’s total, which is good news. It’s not well-established enough yet to say it’s definitely back for good and will be widespread across multiple landscapes – we’re still in that zone of uncertainty at the moment, but there are exciting signs.”
