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UK butterfly numbers are up but campaigners say it's not all good news

a close up photograph of a butterfly resting on a flower with a long thin stem with tiny bright purple flowers at the top - the butterfly has camouflage wings in lots of different colours like black orange and brownGetty Images

A painted lady butterfly rests on a flower

Charity Butterfly Conservation say this year's warm summer has boosted butterfly numbers in the UK.

Sunshine and a lack of rain mean butterflies were able to easily fly around and find places to eat and breed.

But the charity warns the population growth might be temporary, as the high temperatures also caused damage to plants and wildlife that butterflies survive on.

This means the butterflies might struggle to keep their numbers up, leading to a "population crash".

He explains that hot weather can damage butterfly habitats - killing plants and wildlife.

So while their numbers might grow at first, they might then die because of a lack of food, water and places to rest.

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Butterfly Conservation say painted lady butterflies have seen a big jump in numbers - up by 335% compared to last year.

But they say the most commonly seen butterfly was the small white, followed by gate keepers, large whites, red admirals and meadow browns.

Professor Richard Fox, head of science at Butterfly Conservation, said: "Adult butterflies love hot, sunny weather for flying, feeding and breeding, and that's exactly why people saw so many this summer.

"But a good summer for adult butterflies is not the same as a good summer for butterfly populations."

Why are butterflies so important?

Bees, like butterflies, are a kind of pollinator - here's how they help plants grow

Butterflies are a very important insect because they are pollinators.

A pollinator moves something called pollen between plants – this helps plants to reproduce, spread and grow.

Other pollinators include bees, wasps, moths and beetles.

How can we help butterflies?

a photograph of a butterfly with its wings spread out - the wings are in bright orange with specks of blue and dark patches of brown and blackGetty Images

A Tortoiseshell butterfly rests on a bench in the sun

Butterfly Conservation say there are plenty of ways to help butterflies thrive even through hot summers.

If you have a garden, you can plant shrubs and trees that provide shade during sunny weather.

Installing water butts, which collect rainwater in rainier seasons, can help keep plants watered in the summer.

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And long grass can have up to 93% more butterflies and a wider range of species, say the charity.

But even if you don't have a garden, keeping plants on a balcony or on a doorstep can help pollinators to survive.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust say you can grow plants loved by pollinators in pots like cornflowers, poppies and marigolds.

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