‘Stunningly beautiful’ butterflies swarm Shropshire after hot summer

Shropshire has been treated to a spectacular invasion of colourful clouded yellow butterflies, with numbers said to be the highest seen in more than 30 years.

The striking migrants have been arriving from North Africa and southern Europe, bringing a splash of Mediterranean colour to the county following this summer’s hot and dry conditions.

Wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek-Peters captured stunning images of the butterflies in flight at Venus Pool nature reserve near Shrewsbury.

Andrew, from Lydbury North, said the conditions had made this an exceptional year for clouded yellows.

“This has been a really good year for clouded yellows – one of the few benefits of the drought and hot summer,” he said.

“Large numbers are coming from the continent and breeding, with new butterflies emerging in September.

“It looks like some are staying to breed, and there is an argument that this could now be called a UK breeding butterfly.

“But many would argue they are still just migrants who die off over winter and then come across the sea again next year.”

Andrew, who specialises in photographing butterflies, said it was particularly rewarding to capture the fast-moving insects in flight.

“It’s quite rare to be able to get this butterfly in flight – it really is stunningly beautiful,” he said.