Butterflies

In the UK there are sixty species of butterflies, fifty-eight are resident and two are migrants, the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow

As well as playing a crucial role in the food chain, butterflies although not the most efficient pollinators, are still essential for many flowers. Butterflies pollinate accidentally, by brushing pollen onto their long legs and proboscis as they feed on nectar, then carrying it to the next flower.

Butterflies prefer bright red, purple, yellow and pink flowers which they pollinate during warm daylight hours when some bees are less active. With a gentle landing onto a flower they prefer flat-topped flowers like scabious, knapweed and daisies, all of which can be found in Highfield Park.

UK butterfly abundance has declined 18% since 1976 with 31 of the species in long term decline.

Conservation and Threats.

• Habitat loss — Flower‑rich grasslands, chalk downland, heathland and woodland clearings have been destroyed or fragmented.
• Pesticide use – reduces caterpillar survival and adult nectar foraging.Pesticides remove “weeds” like nettles, thistles and clovers — essential larval food plants.
• Pollution – Nitrogen deposition from farming and traffic favours coarse grasses over wildflowers
• Poor land management – Over‑tidy gardens, frequent mowing, removal of long grass and scrub
• Climate change – Extreme weather (wet springs, cool summers, heatwaves) disrupts breeding cycles.

There is good news, a wilding program over 40 grassland sites led to a 350% increase in butterfly numbers over three years. There were 23 species recorded in Hertfordshire in 2025 with Meadow Brown, Small White and Large White the most common.

Current evidence shows that habit restoration will work.

At Highfield Park we look to create butterfly-friendly habitats, planting native species and reducing chemical use, therefore supporting butterfly populations and their significant ecological contributions. Butterfly visitation not only benefits plant reproduction but also supports overall biodiversity.

Butterflies found in Highfield Park – Images from the Butterfly Conservation Trust.