Rare butterfly spotted in Cornwall

A rare continental butterfly has been spotted in Cornwall as warmer weather draws more migrant species to the UK, an attraction says.

The Queen of Spain fritillary was spotted at the Eden Project in what was believed to be one of only a handful of sightings recorded in England this year, staff said.

Six-year-old Lola noticed the insect in the Outdoor Gardens and the sighting had since been verified by the Cornwall County recorder at Natural England, they added.

Julie Kendall, outdoor horticulture manager at Eden Project, said it was a "brilliant reminder" of the important role gardens play as "staging posts for wildlife on the move".

She added: "We'd encourage visitors to keep their eyes peeled next time they're walking through the gardens."

Although small numbers of the butterfly fly across the English Channel most years, the Queen of Spain fritillary had never bred in the UK consistently enough to be considered a true resident, experts at the project said.

In recent years, sightings have picked up, and this year had brought more reports of continental species than usual across southern England, which experts said was closely tied to the weather.

Lola said she was "really happy to have spotted a rare-to-the-UK butterfly", with mum Sarah noting she loved learning about 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," Sarah said.

Richard Fox, head of science of the charity Butterfly Conservation, which works on saving butterflies, moths and their natural habitats, added: "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."

He noted butterflies "do like hot and sunny weather", with the summer providing "great flying conditions for lots of species".

But, he said they need "a lot more than nice weather to do well" including high-quality habitats.

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