An extremely rare species of butterfly that was a favourite of Winston Churchill’s has been spotted once again in the English countryside.
The black-veined white butterfly, long considered extinct in Britain, has made a mysterious comeback, captivating the attention of naturalists and butterfly enthusiasts.
This month a BBC reporter spotted the species flitting between hawthorn and blackthorn trees in London.
With its delicate white wings adorned with distinct black vein markings, the black-veined white bears an uncanny resemblance to the common cabbage white butterflies commonly seen during British summers.
However, what sets this species apart is its rarity and its historical significance.
Believed to have vanished from Britain in 1925 during a period of inclement weather, the reappearance of the black-veined white has experts questioning the reason behind it.
While scientists have hypothesized that the warming climate in Britain due to the ongoing climate emergency might have played a role in the species’ return, Butterfly Conservation, a charity dedicated to monitoring butterfly populations in Britain, remains sceptical.
According to them, it is likely that the butterflies were deliberately released into the wild.
‘Butterfly Conservation has received lots of fantastic messages from people who are seeing the extinct Black-veined White butterfly in south-east London. However, these sightings are the result of an unofficial release and it is unlikely the butterfly will survive in the wild to breed,’ Butterfly Conservation told Metro.co.uk.
It’s unclear who was behind thhis unofficial release or the reason behind it.
The black-veined white butterfly
The black-veined white or Aporia crataegi is a large butterfly common in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
The upperside of its wings is white, with black veins while the underside of the wings is greyish-brown, with black veins and white spots.
The black-veined white is a migratory species. In the autumn, adults fly south to warmer climates.
They are popular among butterfly watchers and often seen in gardens and parks.
The black-veined white is a relatively common butterfly. However, its numbers have declined in recent years due to habitat loss and pesticide use.
While the organization acknowledges the joy experienced by those who have witnessed these rare butterflies, they caution against interpreting their return as a spontaneous recovery of an extinct species.
‘Butterfly Conservation is supportive of re-introductions when they are based on sound research. This is necessary to ensure the places the butterfly lives are suitable for the long-term survival of the species. Recent examples are the Large Blue and the Chequered Skipper,’
‘Undocumented releases confuse existing conservation effort. They disrupt the recording of species’ natural ranges and trends, and Butterfly Conservation does not support these unofficial releases,’
Originally listed as a British species during the reign of King Charles II, these butterflies were a favourite of Churchill, who once wrote, ‘the Black-veined White is one of the most beautiful of our butterflies, and its flight is graceful and erratic.’
In the 1940s, the leader even engaged the expertise of the nation’s leading lepidopterist to reintroduce the extinct species to his garden at Chartwell in Kent.
Despite releasing hundreds of black-veined whites, Churchill’s efforts failed to establish a sustainable population.
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