The first climate refugees are here – we can’t say we’ve not been warned | Patrick Barkham

The exotic species colonising the south coast are the experts when it comes to adapting and surviving. We should learn from them

Something stunning happened last week, which has never before occurred in Britain in November: a subtropical butterfly, the long-tailed blue, was seen flying on the south coast of England. Another unprecedented event took place one August evening: a volunteer at the Dungeness bird observatory was strolling home from the pub when he was transported to summer holidays on Mediterranean verandas - he heard the nocturnal whirring of tree crickets. Hundreds of these warmth-loving insects have now been found breeding in Britain for the first time.

Related: Exotic butterfly to make spectacular late-summer emergence