Butterflies are a beautiful and important part of the UK’s wildlife.

They are highly sensitive indicators of the health of the environment and play crucial roles in the food chain as well as being pollinators of plants.

• The UK has 59 species of butterflies – 57 resident species of butterflies and two regular migrants – the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow.
  

• Five species of butterfly have become extinct in the last 150 years. These are the Mazarine Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Black-veined White, Large Copper and Large Blue. (Large Blue was successfully reintroduced in 1992)
  
• The state of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 report found that 80% of butterfly species in the UK have decreased in either abundance, distribution, or both since 1976.

(Reference: Butterfly Conservation)

In a City of Flower is a holographic installation presenting a dozen of these British Butterflies.