Unusual butterflies sighted at Orchid Meadows

Two butterflies previously unseen by us at Orchid Meadows have been sighted within our boundaries. Both are outside their normal range, according to Butterfly Conservation UK, with no official sightings recorded near here during the most recent 2015-2019 monitoring period. The clouded yellow (above) is generally seen in southern England and around the Welsh coast. Its distribution has declined by over 60 per cent since the 1990s. The small blue (top) is generally found in central southern England and along the south Wales coast but occurs sporadically elsewhere. Its distribution has declined by over 40 per cent since the 1980s and it is designated as “near threatened”.

Pictures by Butterfly Conservation UK