Whether as an afternoon diversion from a picnic, or a summer-long quest to track all 58 of Britain's butterfly species, The Independent's Great British Butterfly Hunt aims to offer a glimpse of the beauty and fragility of our rich natural heritage.

Unlike most other species, the orange tip only has one generation: it flies mainly in the month of April, and after that you will not see it again.

Unlike most other species, the orange tip only has one generation: it flies mainly in the month of April, and after that you will not see it again.

Sir David Attenborough and Boris Johnson were among conservationists and politicians who yesterday rushed to support The Independent’s Great British Butterfly Hunt.

As the coming Easter break offers a chance for everyone to get out into the countryside for the first time this spring, The Independent launches an innovative wildlife project: the Great British Butterfly Hunt.