In a year when a “butterfly emergency” has been declared, one species in Northern Ireland is bucking the trend.

The marsh fritillary made its presence felt in autumn, when the caterpillars spin striking webs in long grass.

A total of 679 webs were counted across 20 sites in 2024 – an increase of 423 compared to 2023.

But the species is still vulnerable, with the number of sites where it is found across the UK almost halving between 1985 and 2019.