大象传媒

The UK's hottest June on record caused unprecedented deaths of fish in rivers and disturbed insects and plants, environment groups have warned.

Nature is being "pounded by extreme weather without a chance to recover", the Wildlife Trusts said.

The Met Office said last week that provisional figures for June indicate that both the overall average and the average maximum temperatures were the highest on record.

Many flowering plants, including orchids, wilted in the high temperatures, meaning insects like bees and butterflies that feed on nectar and pollen will have less to eat.

Species with short lifespans are particularly badly affected. Many butterflies are adults for only a short time, and if they cannot access food in that period, it stunts the population.

Tim Sexton - Species and Recording Officer and Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust - explains more to Ben Jackson.