Climate change: Butterflies, moths and dragonflies did well in 2019

Warm and wet weather in 2019 saw the biggest influx of painted lady butterflies in a decade in the UK

Butterflies, moths and dragonflies have had good year, according to a conservation charity.

The National Trust has put together a review of 2019, and has called the three flying insects "wildlife winners".

Warm weather during the early half of the year saw moths, butterflies and dragonflies arrive in from southern and eastern countries.

The charity says the weather also bought the biggest influx of painted lady butterflies in a decade.

The other "winners" according to the National Trust are grey seals on UK shores.

In January, rangers at Blakeney National Nature Reserve in Norfolk reported that this year's grey seal pup numbers reached over 3,000 for the first time.

But the National Trust also mentions species that did not do so well with the changing weather conditions throughout the year.

Fires on Marsden Moor at Easter destroyed habitats, including those of mountain hares.

It was also a bad year for Natterjack toads, who rely on pools of water in their sand dune homes to survive. Many of these dried out in May and June.

Water voles in the Yorkshire Dales also suffered due to the heavy rainfall in June, July and September.

There are worries that changing weather caused by climate change will cause more and more problems for wildlife in the UK.

Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation and restoration ecology said:

"Our topsy-turvy weather with more significant weather events is now the new norm and we need to take urgent action to tackle it. Better management of the natural environment is key to meeting this challenge."