More than 77,000 butterflies were recorded in Devon and 47,000 were spotted in Cornwall during July, according to a recent field count.
The figures come from a month‑long survey that tallied individual butterflies across the two counties, providing a snapshot of local abundance during the summer season.
Scientists warn that such populations could be vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, which have the potential to trigger sharp declines in butterfly numbers.
Butterflies are widely recognised as bio‑indicators, reflecting the health of ecosystems and the impacts of climate variability on flora and fauna.
Continued monitoring of butterfly counts is considered essential for detecting early signs of population stress and informing conservation strategies.
<small>Source: BBC Science — read the original story there.</small>
