Gardeners urged to save butterflies

Gardeners are being urged to plant butterfly-friendly flowers to "make nature come back to life", after five rare species have become extinct and half of the remaining 56 species are under threat of extinction.

More than 70 per cent of butterfly species are in decline, according to the wildlife organisation Butterfly Conservation.

The number of small tortoiseshells have fallen by 68 per cent, while peacocks have dropped by 30 per cent in the past decade.

People are being urged to plant buddleia, verbena bonariensis, perennial wallflowers, lavender and marjoram, which are sources of nectar for the insects.