The Forestry Commission has linked up with Butterfly Conservation to lure one of Yorkshire’s rarest butterflies back to a former haunt.

The striking yellow and brown flecked Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina), pictured, survives at only a handful of places in the north. Until recently, one of these was Pexton Bank in Dalby Forest, near Pickering, but there have been no sightings for the past five years.

Now a bid has been launched to encourage the colourful creature to return.

Work to improve the habitat has just been completed, involving felling trees and cutting back over-grown scrub, both of which may have shaded out some of the flowers the butterfly relies on. Cowslip and primrose are particularly important as the Duke lays its eggs on the undersides of their leaves, which also provide food for larvae.

Paul Cody, district forester, said: “This is a rare species and for many years the jewel in the crown of Pexton Bank, which is an outstanding place for butterflies with over 20 recorded species. But when wildlife becomes isolated and fragmented it is always vulnerable. That’s why it is important we continue our push to improve the environment and link habitats together. We’ve got our fingers’ crossed that the Duke makes a regal return.”