Butterfly numbers in freefall as biodiversity decline unfolds at pace

The absence of butterflies in 2024 has been devastatingly obvious, even in the most important, flower-rich areas in Ireland. And despite knowing that conservation works, the outlook for our butterflies here is bleak

Clockwise from top left; Orange-tip butterfly, peacock butterfly, comma butterfly, and small tortoiseshell butterfly. Pictures: Jesmond Harding

April is when spring wildflowers begin to blossom in quantity, in tune with butterflies and bees emerging for the summer season ahead. The offering up of sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen, just when they’re needed most, is one of the most stunning and finely tuned examples of everyday reciprocity.

In damp meadows and wet, grassy byways across the country, one particularly pretty wildflower appears in abundance during April and May. Lady’s smock, also known as cuckoo flower, has delicately pink tinged white blossoms that look a little like an especially elegant lady’s nightdress.