Butterfly once thought extinct spotted across southern England

A butterfly that had not been seen for more than 30 years, has been spotted at several locations across southern England.

The large tortoiseshell butterfly was last recorded in the UK in the 1980s, and was thought to have become extinct.

However, the insect has recently been seen in several counties including Kent, Sussex, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.

Experts say that if sightings continue at this rate, they will officially remove the large tortoiseshell from their list of extinct British butterflies.

The large tortoiseshell is a big, colourful butterfly with orange, black and blue wings.

It is closely related to the small tortoiseshell butterfly, but has different markings.

According to the wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, the species was once found across England and Wales, but was last recorded as a resident species in the UK in the 1980s.

Although there have been rare sightings over the years since it went extinct, they are now becoming more and more common.

In recent years, there has been a growing large tortoiseshell population in the Netherlands, and ecologists - people who study plants, animals and the environment - think an increasing number might be flying across the English Channel to the UK.

Eagle-eyed nature lovers have spotted large tortoiseshells in several southern counties over the past two weeks including Kent, Hampshire, Sussex, Dorset, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.

The charity said it was "great news" that the "beautiful and charismatic butterfly" was back.

The species is officially classed as 'regionally extinct' in Great Britain on their GB Butterfly Red List, but things could now be changing for the better.

Professor Richard Fox, from Butterfly Conservation, explained: "I would imagine that, if things carry on with this trajectory, then when we compile our next GB Red List we not classify the large tortoiseshell as regionally extinct.

"I think it's reasonable to assume that the species is now established in several parts of Britain."