A CAMPAIGN has been launched to encourage people to start preparing to give butterflies and bees a home in their gardens this spring. Morwenna Alldis, spokesperson for the RSPB South West, said: ‘Our UK butterflies and bees really need our help. Three-quarters of British butterflies are in decline. We can all do a couple of really simple tasks in our gardens and green spaces to help save our butterflies before it’s too late.

‘Although it’s a tad early to start seeing butterflies dancing on our flowers – spring is the best time of year to start planting food for these two special garden friends. Different species of adult butterflies will only lay their eggs on specific plants. The first step to attracting butterflies to your garden is to find out which species live in your area.’