‘A tale of woe’: UK butterfly numbers hit by cold, wet spring

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Butterflies across the UK have been hit hard by unseasonably cold and wet spring weather, conservationists have warned.

April was the sunniest on record but it also had a record number of frosts followed by the wettest May for England in 54 years. Native butterflies such as the small tortoiseshell, large white, and red admiral have been badly affected, with numbers down compared with 10-year averages, according to the wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation.