Turned out nice: hot summer makes it a vintage year for wildlife across the UK

Though a cold start made it hard for some, the National Trust's annual audit of flora and fauna has found most species did wellAfter six consecutive years in which awful weather had blighted the UK's wildlife, 2013's cheerful summer turned around the fortunes of flora and fauna across the country, an annual audit has found.The heat of July and August was a particular fillip for insects that thrive in the warm, such as butterflies, moths, bees, crickets and grasshoppers, according to the National Trust, which publishes its report today of how the weather affected the natural world.It flags up in particular the success of the tree bumblebee, which only started to colonise the UK in 2001 and has expanded its range considerably, even creeping into Scotland. But there is also good news for a range of mammals, birds and flowers from pine martens to puffins and orchids.Matthew Oates, the National Trust's naturalist, said: "We were more than overdue a good summer, and eventually we got a real cracker."The way our butterflies and other sun-loving insects bounced back in July was utterly amazing, showing nature's powers of recovery at their best. We have seen more winners than losers in our wildlife year, which is a tremendous result, considering where we were last year."In the 2012 audit, the best that could be said was that it was a good year for slugs, which relish the damp, and for picnickers, who were not tormented by wasps. This time, the cold spring and hot summer meant slugs ha...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: The Guardian Biology News Trees and forests Birds Butterflies Features Animals Fungi UK news Weather Plants Life and style Insects Gardens Environment The National Trust Science Bees Wildlife Source Type: news