GARDENERS in the region have been saying it for weeks, and now it is official - 2001 is a bad year for butterflies.

During the past few weeks, gardens should have been graced by large numbers of butterflies such as peacocks, red admiral and painted ladies.

But most gardeners have been commenting on the domination of the whites this summer, and now the charity Butterfly Conservation has confirmed the suspicion that something is wrong.

But it appears that the region is not alone in suffering, because traditionally warmer southern areas of the country - which tend to attract more butterflies - have also reported a shortfall.

Nick Bowles, of the charity, said: "It has been a poor year, but it is not just the North of England which is seeing lower numbers than usual.

"Normally, gardeners would be seeing the colourful migrants such as painted ladies and red admirals."

During a good year, large numbers of painted ladies make the journey from south-west Europe and North Africa during May and June, laying their eggs on wildflowers.

Red admirals, perhaps the most spectacular of butterflies in British gardens, also arrive from the Continent, from May onwards, to lay their eggs.

Butterfly experts believe that poor weather may have deterred the butterflies from migrating this year.

However, the small tortoiseshell, a native species which hibernates as a butterfly during the winter, seems to have fared better in the region.

Mr Bowles said: "Small tortoiseshells have had quite a bad time but are doing fairly well in the North-East."

It is thought that the small tortoiseshell's problems elsewhere were caused by poor springs in 1999 and last year, which reduced the number of youngsters.

Peacocks, another native butterfly, are also causing concern. They normally hibernate, seeking out the corners of sheds and outhouses, but have gone into hibernation early this year.

The causes are not yet known.

Mr Bowles said it was suspected that, apart from poor weather, low numbers of butterflies this year may also have been caused by a larger than normal population of fly and wasp parasites which prey on them.

He said that the whites had fared best of all having been less affected by recent gloomy springs.

Mr Bowles said: "The whites, which feed on cabbage and the like, are faring better because their caterpillars need less sunlight in order to develop.

"But overall, the picture is of low numbers of butterflies."

Away from urban areas, reports suggest that road verges which have been left to develop as rough grassland, continue to support an increasing diversity of butterflies.