2017 was the seventh worst year for butterflies in Britain since records began more than 40 years ago.  Grayling and grizzled skippers had their worst year on record.

Habitat loss has caused the long-term falls in butterfly populations. However, scientists say the recent dramatic declines are due to climate change, pesticides such as neonicotinoids and nitrogen pollution.

Grizzled skipper numbers have more than halved since the 1970s while the grayling’s population has shrunk by 63% in the last decade. The large white – once so common it was a pest – fell by 19% in 2017.

Read The Guardian’s story for more information.