Summer heatwave may encourage 'tourism' of rare butterflies and bees to the UK, experts say

The sighting of a yellow-legged tortoiseshell butterfly, last seen in the UK in 1953, has confirmed that we are set for an extraordinary summer

TOM BAWDEN

ENVIRONMENT EDITOR 

Friday 25 July 2014

The hot weather may have prompted reports of bug infestations, but this summer could also be a great opportunity to spot beautiful rare butterflies and bees not seen in the UK for decades.

Britain looks set to play host to a swarm of insects that are extremely rare – and in some cases new to the country – as the warm weather across Europe sparks a “mass insect migration”, experts said.

The recent sighting of a yellow-legged tortoiseshell butterfly, which has only been seen once before in the UK in 1953, has confirmed suspicions among entomologists that we are set for an extraordinary summer.

“Looking at the weather map, the potential for mass insect movement all over Europe is very real – for butterflies, moths, dragonflies, hoverflies and ladybirds,” said Matthew Oates, a wildlife specialist at the National Trust.

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