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How clapping their wings, rather than just flapping them, helps butterflies to move faster and outwit predators.
Butterflies
Video caption: How clapping their wings in addition to flapping helps butterflies to outwit predators Video content
Video caption: Butterfly wings captured in slow motion footage Scientists, using a wind tunnel and high-speed cameras, have captured the butterfly's flying skill.
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Video caption: Butterfly World survives coronavirus closure thanks to donations More than £7,000 in public donations allowed Butterfly World to run its own breeding programme.
Rarely-seen butterfly spotted in Sheffield
A colourful butterfly rarely seen in South Yorkshire has been spotted in Sheffield.
Copyright: Philip PreceySheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust say sightings of the purple hairstreak butterfly - which is more generally found in southern England- have been reported across the city and experts believe the species is experiencing a population increase due to the warm spring weather.
Unlike most butterflies, the Purple Hairstreak does not feed on flowers but gets its nourishment feeding on sticky honeydew on oak tree leaves.
Ben Keywood from SRWT said: "It's fairly common in the south of England and in Nottinghamshire where it loves the oak trees of Sherwood Forest,.
"But Sheffield has very few records. This year could be the only opportunity to spot it here and there’s only a two-week window - next year the weather might be different and the population will return to normal.”
Copyright: Philip PreceyVideo content
Video caption: Coronavirus: Five natural beauties to see on your daily exercise With the lockdown prompting people to change their habits, many may be taking more notice of nature.
Killed for butterflies?
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Video caption: Two men have been found dead who worked at a butterfly reserve in Mexico Two men have been found dead who worked at a butterfly reserve in Mexico. Had they got in the way of illegal loggers? Will Grant talks to Shaun Ley.
By Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland's environment correspondent
