COMMON butterflies saw a collapse in their population numbers in Cumbria over the summer despite the UK experiencing weather conditions that usually help them to thrive.

Results from the three-week Big Butterfly Count survey reveal a decline in the insect across the length and breadth of the country.

The majority of butterfly species studied as part of the survey saw their populations fall with some producing their worst numbers since the Big Butterfly Count began.

Widespread species such as the Gatekeeper, Comma and Small Copper experienced their worst summers in the project’s history and were down 40 per cent, 46 per cent and 30 per cent respectively, compared to last year.

The Small Tortoiseshell saw a 47 per cent drop in numbers and Peacock slumped by 42 per cent with both species recording their second worst years.

Numbers of the colourful Peacock have now dropped from an average of 3.6 individuals per count in 2013 to just 0.5 per count in 2016, a six-fold decrease over three years.

Across Cumbria there were 326 butterfly counts carried out and the top five seen were the top five butterflies seen across Cumbria during the count were:

L Small White (picture)

L Meadow Brown

L Large White

L Small Tortoiseshell

L Gatekeeper

Participants also saw the lowest number of butterflies per count since the scheme began with an average of just 12 butterflies spotted.

These figures were even lower than those experienced during the cold and wet disaster summer of 2012 – the worst year on record for UK butterflies.

The falls come despite the summer of 2016 being warmer than average and relatively dry – conditions butterflies typically depend upon in order to successfully breed and feed.

The reasons why butterflies have struggled despite favourable summer weather conditions are as yet unclear.

Butterfly Conservation’s Head of Recording, Richard Fox, said: “The drop in butterfly numbers this summer has been a shock and is a bit of a mystery. When we have cold, wet summers, as in 2012, we expect butterfly populations to plummet, but that wasn’t the case this year.

“The summer months were warmer than usual, yet most Big Butterfly Count participants saw fewer butterflies. Perhaps the very mild winter had a negative effect, or the cold spring, or perhaps the impacts of intensive farming and pesticides are really hitting these common species now."