Although common across mainland Europe, a Queen of Spain fritillary butterfly has been spotted at the Eden Project, in what is believed to be one of only a handful of sightings recorded in England this year.
The butterfly was seen by Lola, aged 6, in the Outdoor Gardens and the sighting has since been verified by the Cornwall County recorder at Natural England.
Although small numbers fly across the Channel most years, the Queen of Spain fritillary has never bred in the UK consistently enough to be considered a true resident. In fact, between the 1950’s and 1990’s, it was rarely recorded in Britain at all.
In recent years, sightings have picked up, including a short-lived breeding colony in Suffolk in the late 1990s. However, this year has brought more reports of continental species than usual across southern England, which experts say is closely tied to the weather.
As with the painted lady, another migrant species that arrived in the UK in unusually large numbers this year, sustained warm conditions have given these butterflies ideal flying weather for the crossing from Europe, and better odds of surviving and breeding once they arrive.
Lola, who discovered the rare butterfly, said she was “really happy to have spotted a rare-to-the-UK butterfly”, with mum Sarah noting that Lola had always been fascinated by butterflies and loves learning about the different species.
“Lola keeps a list of all the different butterflies she’s spotted, it's been such a lovely way to enjoy nature and the outdoors together,
“It was definitely a highlight of the trip for Lola, one she will always remember. We felt very lucky to be visiting such a wonderful place and to spot a beautiful butterfly", said Sarah.
Speaking on the discovery, Julie Kendall, Outdoor Horticulture Manager at Eden Project, said: “It’s fantastic to have a rare butterfly like the Queen of Spain fritillary found in our gardens.
“We pride ourselves on providing such rich, diverse habitats that can support nature of all shapes and sizes – including non-native species that are now finding new homes here as our climate changes.
“Sightings like this are a brilliant reminder that gardens have a real part to play as staging posts for wildlife on the move, and we’d encourage visitors to keep their eyes peeled next time they’re walking through the gardens.”
Butterfly Conservation's Head of Science, Richard Fox, said: “It’s very exciting to see the Queen of Spain in the UK – it’s a beautiful butterfly and a rare visitor to our shores.
“Sightings like this always capture people’s imaginations and generate more interest in butterflies which is a great thing.
“Butterflies do like hot and sunny weather, so this summer has provided great flying conditions for lots of species. However, butterflies need a lot more than nice weather to do well, which is why Butterfly Conservation is dedicated to providing high-quality habitat for our fantastic native species and our occasional visiting guests.”
