Rare butterfly found on Essex reservoir

A rare and protected species of butterfly has been found on the Oakwood Reservoir in south Essex. The Heath Fritillary butterfly is one of the rarest in Britain and was on the brink of extinction in the 1970s.

Ashley Pinnock is a Conservation Specialist with Essex and Suffolk Water and says he spotted the butterfly on the site which is located between Pound Wood and Hadleigh Great Wood.

Image credit: Ashley Pinnock.