Dónal Hickey: Increase in only one butterfly species here

Invasive plant species such as montbretia and fuchsia crowd out all native herbs that butterflies need for their life cycles

A small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. Britain's National Trust is leading a planting scheme with 20,000 marsh violets planted to help boost the rare butterfly, which have undergone severe declines in England. There is no such habitat enhancement scheme for this butterfly here. Picture: Stephen Lewis/PA Wire

A white butterfly flitting from plant to plant in the garden signalled the coming of summer. People are welcoming the return of butterflies, drawn to plants such as buddleia and lavender, which will be with us until late September.

Though once as common as bluebells in May, the butterfly population has clearly dropped. Monitoring by the National Biodiversity Data Centre shows a 57% decline in Ireland between 2008 and 2022.