Tower and Town, August 2026

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Nature Notes: A Butterfly Summer

Well, what a summer it has been so far. The long spells of warm, sunny weather have been wonderful for butterflies, and I hope you've noticed more of them in your gardens and out in the countryside.

The UK is home to 59 species of butterfly, including two remarkable migrants - the Painted Lady and the Clouded Yellow. This year has been exceptional for both species. Painted Ladies undertake one of the most extraordinary migrations in the insect world, travelling thousands of miles from North Africa. They don't make the journey in a single generation but breed as they move north through Europe, with each new generation continuing the journey. By the time they reach the UK, the butterflies we see are the descendants of those that first left Africa. Clouded Yellows are also powerful migrants, crossing the English Channel from mainland Europe during favourable weather, and this summer they have arrived in impressive numbers.

Around Marlborough, we are fortunate to have around 38 butterfly species within just a few miles of the town. Venture a little further across Wiltshire and you can add another 9 species to the list.

One of the things I enjoy most is looking for the subtle differences between males and females. The male Chalkhill Blue is unmistakable with its brilliant pale sky-blue wings, while the larger female is chocolate brown and a row of bright orange spots around the edge of her wings. Other species, such as the Holly Blue, are much harder to tell apart, with only the female's broader dark wing edge giving the game away.

Many of our butterflies have more than one brood each year. After laying their eggs, a second or even third generation can emerge later in the summer, meaning species such as the Common Blue, Holly Blue and Small Copper can often be seen well into August. If the warm weather continues, there's still plenty of time to enjoy some of our most beautiful butterflies before another butterfly season comes to an end.

Helen Llewelyn

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