THE race is on to crown Britain’s Favourite Butterfly and Herefordshire backs the Orange-tip, but it’s not over yet.

Three spectacular species are neck and neck in Herefordshire for the coveted title of Britain’s Favourite Butterfly, and every vote could make the difference.

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is calling on residents of Herefordshire to back their favourite butterfly as the race to crown the nation’s champion reaches its final stages.

Voting closes on Sunday, June 7 and the current leader in Herefordshire is the Orange-tip which holds a very special place in British hearts as one of the first butterflies of spring.

The male's vivid tangerine wing tips are a joyful sign that warmer days have arrived and summer isn’t far away.

The Holly Blue is closely chasing in second place with a shimmering flash of pale blue. It is one of the species benefiting from Britain's warming climate, it has been steadily spreading northwards in recent decades, bringing its appealing beauty to gardens and hedgerows across more of the country than ever before.

Small, elegant, and understated, the Holly Blue is perhaps the competition’s dark horse.

The third species is the Brimstone, a butterfly with a fascinating claim to history. Many experts believe it was this sunshine-yellow species, which appears on warm early spring days, that first gave all butterflies their name: the original 'butter-coloured fly'. It's also among the first to emerge from hibernation each year, a reliable and uplifting sign that spring is just around the corner.

Kate Merry, head of engagement at Butterfly Conservation, said: "The response to Britain's Favourite Butterfly has been absolutely wonderful. It's clear that people across Herefordshire have incredibly strong feelings about the butterflies they love. What's so exciting right now is just how close the vote is.”

Voting closes Sunday, June 7. Cast your vote now at britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk.