中文导读

一种金色的蝴蝶，四百年来在英国只是“稀客”，今年却突然来了成千上万只。文章先介绍这种名叫“西班牙皇后豹纹蝶”的蝴蝶从哪里来、今年来了多少；再说明今年最特别的地方：它们不只是路过，而是在英国产卵，孵化出了“英国出生”的新一代。接着文章转向真正的难题——冬天：寒冷潮湿的冬季被认为是它一直无法在英国定居的主要原因，过去 30 年它可能只成功越冬两次。最后，专家 Neil Hulme 区分了“明年春天还能见到”和“真正长期定居”这两件事，并提到普通人种植野生三色堇可能有所帮助。阅读时可留意 However、Still、Instead 等词如何引出转折，以及 probably、thought to be、could 等词如何表明这些只是推测，而不是已经确定的结论。

正文

Every summer, a few golden butterflies called the Queen of Spain fritillary cross the sea to Britain. People have recorded these rare visitors for about 400 years, but most years bring only a handful of sightings. This year was very different. According to the Guardian on October 29, thousands of them arrived, and some experts now wonder whether the butterfly could make Britain its permanent home.

本段译文

每年夏天，都会有少量名叫“西班牙皇后豹纹蝶”的金色蝴蝶飞越海峡来到英国。人们记录这些罕见访客已有约 400 年，但大多数年份只有寥寥几次目击。今年却大不相同。据《卫报》10 月 29 日报道，今年有成千上万只飞抵英国，一些专家如今在想，这种蝴蝶会不会把英国当作永久的家。

The butterfly is easy to recognize because of its bright colour and the unusual square shape of its back wings. It lives across most of mainland Europe and North Africa, and it breeds in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, only a short flight away. This summer, some came from France and Spain to the south coast of England, while others flew from the Netherlands to the east. The website BirdGuides called it the largest arrival ever recorded in the UK.

本段译文

这种蝴蝶很好认，因为它颜色鲜艳，后翅呈少见的方形。它分布于欧洲大陆大部分地区和北非，并在法国北部、比利时和荷兰繁殖，离英国只有一小段飞行距离。今年夏天，一些从法国和西班牙飞到英格兰南部海岸，另一些则从荷兰飞到英格兰东部。BirdGuides 网站称，这是英国有记录以来规模最大的一次迁入。

What makes this year special is what happened next. The visitors laid eggs, and a new generation was born in Britain. New adults were expected about 26 days after the first females arrived, and by early August they had appeared in several southern areas. More British-born butterflies came out this autumn. In late October, hundreds were seen beside the River Thames in Essex. Butterfly expert Neil Hulme called it “a bold attempt at the colonisation of the UK.”

本段译文

今年的特别之处在于后来发生的事。这些访客产下了卵，新一代在英国出生。预计在第一批雌蝶到来约 26 天后会出现新的成虫；到 8 月初，它们已在南部多个地区出现。今年秋天，更多“英国出生”的蝴蝶羽化。10 月下旬，在埃塞克斯郡泰晤士河畔有数以百计的个体被发现。蝴蝶专家尼尔·休姆称，这是一次“在英国定居的大胆尝试”。

However, arriving and staying are two different things. The real test is winter. Cold, wet winters are thought to be the main reason the butterfly has never settled in Britain. In the last 30 years, it has probably survived a British winter only twice: in Suffolk in the 1990s and near Chichester around 2010. Smaller groups also arrived in 2007, 2009, 2017 and 2022, but did not last.

本段译文

然而，到来和留下是两回事。真正的考验是冬天。寒冷潮湿的冬季被认为是这种蝴蝶从未在英国定居的主要原因。过去 30 年里，它可能只成功熬过两次英国的冬天：一次是 20 世纪 90 年代在萨福克郡，另一次是 2010 年前后在奇切斯特附近。2007 年、2009 年、2017 年和 2022 年也曾有较小的群体到来，但都没有延续下去。

Hulme is sure that, after so many arrivals, some butterflies will be seen again next spring. Still, he says that is “not necessarily the same as a permanent establishment.” Instead, the species could slowly gain a foothold if new groups keep coming from mainland Europe. If that happens, it would become the 61st native butterfly species in Britain.

本段译文

休姆确信，既然今年来了这么多，明年春天应该还能看到其中一些蝴蝶。不过他也说，这“不一定等同于永久定居”。更可能的是，如果欧洲大陆不断有新的群体飞来补充，这个物种或许能慢慢站稳脚跟。如果真是这样，它将成为英国第 61 种本土蝴蝶。

Ordinary people may help. The caterpillars feed on wild pansies and field pansies, which grow in dry, open places such as meadows and the edges of farm fields. These plants are already common in southern England, and planting more could give the visitors a better chance. For now, nobody knows whether the Queen of Spain will stay, but next spring should give the first answer.

本段译文

普通人也许能帮上忙。它的幼虫以野生三色堇和田野三色堇为食，这些植物生长在干燥开阔的地方，比如草地和农田边缘。这些植物在英格兰南部本就很常见，多种一些可能会让这些访客有更好的机会。目前，没有人知道西班牙皇后豹纹蝶会不会留下来，但明年春天应该会给出第一个答案。

新闻来源

• The Guardian · Queen of Spain butterfly invades Britain – but will it become native? (29 Oct 2026)
• BirdGuides · Record Queen of Spain Fritillary influx to England (20 Aug 2026)

✳更多文章 →