Stunning photos show incredibly rare long-tailed blue butterfly in flight

By Adam Dutton via SWNS

Remarkable close-up photos show an extremely rare long-tailed blue butterfly taking off from a flower as rising temperatures sees them settling in the UK.

The rarely seen migratory butterfly is never normally seen further north than the Mediterranean.

In the 20th century, it only reached Britain in significant numbers twice – in 1945 and 1990 – but it has a talent for popping up in unusual places.

In 1990, it appeared in Kensal Green Cemetery in north-west London and laid eggs in Gillespie Park, by Arsenal's football ground.

In 2003, the butterfly laid eggs on the North Downs close to Denbies vineyard.

In recent years, due to global warming, the species has settled on England’s south coast.

Photographer Andrew Fusek Peters captured one of the butterflies taking off from a flower this week at Whitehawk Hill Nature Reserve in Brighton.

He said: “Due to global warming, this infrequent migrant from the continent is now breeding around Brighton on the south coast.

“They are one of the last butterflies of the year to be on the wing from late September into October.”