The Large Tortoiseshell butterfly, once considered extinct in the UK, is re‑emerging with an unprecedented number of sightings across southern England. Nature enthusiasts have recently photographed the species in Kent, Hampshire, Sussex, Dorset, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight, following years of only sporadic records. According to Butterfly Conservation, if its endangered species list were updated today, the butterfly would likely be reclassified as no longer extinct.

The species disappeared as a resident breeder in the 1980s, largely due to Dutch elm disease wiping out elm trees, the primary host plant for its eggs. However, recent population growth in the Netherlands may now be driving individuals across the Channel, with more than 20 sightings reported this year alone. The species has now been added to Butterfly Conservation’s First Sightings page, marking what may be the early stages of a natural recolonisation of Britain.

Read the full article on the Butterfly Conservation website.