Butterflies are a beautiful and important part of the UK’s wildlife.
They are highly sensitive indicators of the health of the environment and play crucial roles in the food chain as well as being pollinators of plants.
The UK has 59 species of butterflies – 57 resident species of butterflies and two regular migrants – the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow.
The shot is of a 'small Tortoiseshell' butterfly.
One of the commoner garden butterflies throughout the UK, the small tortoiseshell is bright orange and black with a row of blue crescents around the wing edges.
Underneath, they are camouflaged dark grey and brown. Adults emerge from hibernation on the first warm spring days and look for mates.
