One of the UK’s rarest butterflies has returned to woodland in West Sussex - where it has not been seen for nearly 20 years - wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation (BC) can reveal.

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary can now be found in good numbers at Stansted Forest, which forms part of the Stansted Park Estate on the border between West Sussex and Hampshire.

The butterfly is restricted to just a couple of sites within the region and has declined by 95% in the last 40 years, but since 2015, BC has been trying to boost the population through a new project.

The scheme, ‘Fritillaries for the Future’, has focused on rebuilding strong and sustainable populations of the Pearl-bordered Fritillary across large areas of the county, thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust and generous donations from the public.

BC has been working with the Stansted Park Foundation to reintroduce this rare butterfly to the estate and a number of captive-bred butterflies were released into the area last spring.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary by Tim MellingBC’s Project Officer, Neil Hulme, said: “Stansted Forest is beautifully managed and provides the perfect conditions for this very fussy species to breed. The wide and impressive system of rides here has long been managed with wildlife in mind, allowing the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and many other species of butterfly and moth to move around the forest, as new areas become suitable.”

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary was once known as the ‘Woodman’s Friend’ due to its habit of following clearings made by coppice workers and foresters and was common and widespread until the middle of the last century.

This orange, black and yellow coloured butterfly is named after the string of silver ‘pearls’ that run along its hindwing and it can be seen on the wing between April and May.

Stansted Park Forester Michael Prior releasing Pearl-bordered FritillariesNeil added: “I was delighted to see this iconic woodland species flying at Stansted again this spring. I view this precious butterfly as part of our national heritage, so it sits well alongside the treasures for which the estate is well known.”

The Stansted Park Foundation has cared for the estate and Grade II Listed Edwardian country house since it was gifted to the public by the 10th Earl of Bessborough.

Head Forester, Michael Prior, said: “The return of this striking butterfly to the forest demonstrates that sustainable forestry and timber production can go hand in hand with our other long term aims of landscape, biodiversity and appropriate recreation by the public.”