UK butterflies vanish from nearly half of the places they once flew – study

Butterfly Conservation report reveals 42% decline in distribution of 58 native species since 1976

Butterfly species have vanished from nearly half of the places where they once flew in the UK since 1976, according to a study.

The distribution of 58 native species has fallen by 42% as butterflies disappear from cities, fields and woods. Those that are only found in particular habitats, such as wetlands or chalk grassland, have fared even worse, declining in distribution by 68%.