UK Butterfly Species List Down To 56 - Dozens Of Species Extinct - BBC

[hatrack]

Only 56 butterfly species now remain in Britain as others have fallen victim to disappearing habitat, a charity says.

The Butterfly Conservation charity said urban sprawl, modern farming techniques and lack of woodland management had all played their part in habitat loss.

Hertfordshire has lost the most species - 17 - in the past century, with Bedfordshire, Suffolk and Lincolnshire having lost 15 each. The list has been published ahead of the first Save Our Butterflies week. Cambridgeshire comes fifth on the "extinction" list, having lost 12 species, followed by Essex which has lost 11.

Conservationist Dr Martin Warren, from the charity, said: "Butterfly species are becoming extinct county by county. It is deeply worrying. "Butterflies in profusion tell us that nature is in balance. Where butterflies are disappearing, nature generally is in trouble."

EDIT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5205358.stm

[dipsydoodle]

1. Coincidently I'm in Herts.

I've got huge buddleia's in the garden and they are know to attact butterflies. Got hundreds out there every day at present - mainly red admirals, painted ladies and cabbage whites.