Recent hot weather could mean more blue butterflies

A male common blue butterfly

The recent hot weather in the UK could mean we start seeing more and more butterflies.

A conservation charity say that common blue butterfly numbers could be booming after their "best ever summer".

The Butterfly Conservation is urging people to help monitor the breed by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count population survey.

The group's senior surveys officer, Dr Zoe Randle said, "It would really help us if people could get outside and look for this butterfly, so we can see if its fortunes really have turned around or if the common blue still needs our help."

The top of the male common blue's wings are bright blue and unmarked, whereas females have orange crescents and dark spots near the edge of their wings that vary from purple to dark brown, with a tinge of blue near to the body.

Female common blue butterfly

The world's largest butterfly survey, The Big Butterfly Count, started in July, with thousands of people counting the UK's butterflies.

Participants are asked to spend 15 minutes in the sun counting every butterfly they see before submitting their sightings online.

Dr Randle added: "People should be able to spot these butterflies in National Park areas as their caterpillars mainly feed on the wildflower and common bird's foot trefoil."