British Aporia crataegi

[Yorky]

Extinct in Britain for over a century, the top specimen is almost 140 years old and still looks superb.

[Trehopr1]

Those historic specimens are indeed pretty special given their age !

I know nothing of the history of this butterfly in Britain but was curious why there are no apparent records of it trying to recolonize Britain (at least in a small part).

I would think mainland Europe would blow some over there during big storms and that there might be something there for the butterflies to lay eggs on.

On might even think there would be an effort to re-establish it in much the same fashion as they did the Large Blue.

Was this regarded as a pest species? You have had P. rapae present there for millenia; yet this one has been long gone.

Can you elaborate on the demise of this butterfly and perhaps as to why it has never reappeared on British soil (to the best of anyone's knowledge).

[wollastoni]

I have never understood why Aporia crataegi disappeared from the UK and North France... plenty of suitable habitat there + it is a very common species in South France (and even in the French Alpes where the weather is not hot at all).

[wollastoni]

I know nothing of the history of this butterfly in Britain but was curious why there are no apparent records of it trying to recolonize Britain (at least in a small part).

I would think mainland Europe would blow some over there during big storms and that there might be something there for the butterflies to lay eggs on.

It has also disappeared from the continental areas around Great Britain (North France, etc...). It has to recolonize these areas before entering again in Great Britain.