It's hard to imagine that Monarch butterflies (probably the most recognised in the world) are becoming scarce. Now that really is a worrying development. I've never known times like these, when you can walk down a country lane in spring or high summer and not see a single butterfly, or pass a blossom laden hawthorn and not hear the thing alive with bees
There have always in the past been many enthusiastic schemes to reintroduce lost populations of insects such as the Large Blue and Large Copper - you don't hear about these anymore. I think the conservationists have got their hands full just trying to help those species that are left to hang on
The places I often used to visit are very lonely now - the stands of Cat's Ear flowers that grows in one particular corner was just plain deserted this year and even old friends like the Meadow Brown were met with only occasionally
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