First listed as a British species during the reign of King Charles II, black-veined white butterflies officially became extinct in Britain in 1925.
However, there were sightings of the species in hawthorn and blackthorn trees on the edge of London in June 2023.
Gibson said the UK was “one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world” and more needed to be done to help all species.
He said: “We have done an awful lot of damage to UK wildlife and biodiversity, and bringing one single butterfly back is just as important as reintroducing pine martens, lynx or even wolves and brown bears.
“You’ve got to start somewhere – pollinators are the absolute foundation of food systems, and plant life, and nature as a whole.”
