Warm summer of 2019 gives flight to butterfly numbers

Abundant food thanks to mix of sunshine and rain helps species confound fears of declines

The record temperatures of summer 2019 helped make it the best season for butterflies in 22 years, with more than half of Britain's species increasing in number.

Last summer delivered a winning combination of warmth, sunshine and rain which ensured that caterpillars fed up on lush plants before emerging as adult butterflies.