Nature lovers join the butterfly beauty hunt
THERE has never been a better time to be a butterfly spotter. This summer has produced a bumper insect crop with warm temperatures and sunny spells bringing many of Britain’s 46 species out in force.
Unlike the Victorians who netted the creatures, killed them and mounted them on boards, today’s butterfly hunters are content to photograph or simply admire them. The pastime is now so popular the National Trust is running a “love butterflies” weekend and encouraging the public to use internet site Twitter to post the names of species they see and where they are spotted.
Trust conservation adviser Matthew Oates said: “If all goes well, you’re left with beautiful pictures and treasured memories.”