The Telegraph reports thistles, dock plants and ragwort should be given protected status to save Britain’s rare butterflies, a conservation charity has said. Butterfly Conservation has joined the campaign to repeal the 1959 Weeds Act, which identifies some plants which are useful to pollinators as “weeds” and allows for their large-scale destruction and prevention of their growth.

Painted Lady butterflies, for example, are reliant on thistles, and the very rare Fiery Clearwing moth lives in the roots of Curled Dock. Campaigners have said the legislation is “outdated” and that it drives the destruction of wildflowers which would otherwise have greater protection.