Almost three quarters of UK butterfly species have decreased in population during the last decade

Common species declining & many species spreading northwards
December 2011. Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) findings show 72% of species declined in abundance over ten years and distributions of 54% of butterflies fell, many sharply.

The results, from The State of the UK's Butterflies 2011 Report, provide further evidence that the European Union target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 was not met. But the report also reveals that intensive conservation efforts have started to turn around the fortunes of some of our most endangered butterflies.

Large blue and Heath Fritillary
The previously extinct Large Blue showed increases in population and range and the Heath Fritillary has been brought back from the brink of extinction.


High Brown Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy
But ongoing declines have left the High Brown Fritillary and the Duke of Burgundy facing the very real threat of becoming extinct in the UK unless they benefit from further conservation work.

The report shows for the first time that the total number of common and widespread species fell by almost a quarter in 10 years, indicating underlying problems with the UK's environment.

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