Country diary: So many butterflies, it reminds me of summers past | Susie White

Allendale, Northumberland: What a joy it is to see them back in the garden, speckled woods, commas and small heaths. According to the Big Butterfly Count, I'm not the only one revelling in the abundanceTwo red admiral butterflies chase and spiral above the buddleia, flashing red and black wings against blue sky. Small tortoiseshells forage among the yellow radiating petals of Inula hookeri. Speckled wood and comma land beside them, two at once sharing a flower. A peacock flicks its large wings open and shut, each time revealing false eyes and sleek hairy body.It's a relief to see so many familiar butterflies feeding on familiar flowers. This time last year was very different. Then, I wrote in my Country Diary about their absence, despite the abundance of nectar plants here - the effect of a cold, wet winter and spring. When the results came in from the Big Butterfly Count (BBC), Butterfly Conservation declared a butterfly emergency. Continue reading...