British wildlife has had to cope with a year of unusual weather that saw “two springs and no summer” but many species have fared well, according to the National Trust.

The hot early spring was a boon for insects, while the autumn’s warm temperatures and sunshine saw something of a “second spring” with shrubs and plants such as dandelions and white dead nettle flowering again.

But the polarised weather, which saw the summer months hit by wet conditions in the north and a cold drought in central and eastern England, caused species such as the purple emperor butterfly to suffer.

The purple emperor laid hardly any eggs, while drought conditions hit species on a localised basis including frogs and toads which require shallow water for breeding and some birds such as waders which saw their food supplies affected. But the dry conditions meant herbs and plants which get crowded out by coarse grass in wet years, including orchids, did extremely well, the Trust said.

Matthew Oates, wildlife adviser at the National Trust, said the year’s weather had been “fantastically quirky”, confusing native wildlife, but that some species had done well.

“It was a mixed year. The overall winners were spring insects - not just butterflies and moths, but all the other things like mining bees and bee flies, many of which have done really well. “But the late summer insects fared very badly and there will be knock-ones for them in 2012.” Early insects and birds nesting in spring benefited from the good weather, he said.

“There were no periods of foul and abusive weather, which kill things off, until June.

“There weren’t any gusty storms knocking everything out or drowning things in their nests.”

The spring that promised so much gave way to a poor summer, but an Indian summer in the autumn months with spring-like temperatures led to second appearances of wild and garden plants, an abundance of berries and migrant species of birds and insects to UK shores, he said.

“It just demonstrates how reactive and strongly influenced wildlife is to weather, and how it can exploit good weather windows like those in the spring and again in the autumn,” added Mr Oates.

The warm autumn, following on from a good spring, saw an abundance of fruits and berries from spring-flowering shrubs and trees with a great year for apple, hawthorn, sloes, beechnuts and acorns, while holly and mistletoe berries were also in good supply.

The autumn feast has provided deer, badgers and grey squirrels with plenty of food, and winter birds should also benefit, the National Trust said.

But with erratic weather dominating the year, Mr Oates said it was now a question of “what next?!”

Factbox – a mixed year across the UK

A year of unusual weather in the UK saw winners and losers in the natural world. Here are some of the highlights in 2011:

January
Waxwings, a migrant winter bird, were widespread. Hazel catkins were profuse, leading to early hayfever for some people late in the month.

February
An annual count of 38 National Trust gardens on Valentine’s Day showed a 17 per cent increase in the number of flowering plants and bulbs – suggesting spring was arriving earlier than in 2010.

March
One of the driest and sunniest Marches on record saw an abundance of marsh fritillary caterpillars on Dorset and Wiltshire downs.

Frog and toad spawn was late as a result of the cold December, and tadpole development was hindered in some areas by ponds and pools drying up.

April
The warmest April on record saw masses of bluebells and spring blossom, but a poor yearfor the rare pasque flower due to the dry conditions.

The month was great for spring insects including mining bees and parasitic bee flies.

May
Vegetation and blossom were three to four weeks early. The good weather broke at the end of the first week of the month, leading to frost damage in many areas and oaks defoliated.

June
Despite a cool, cloudy and wet month, especially in the north, the National Trust saw another record year for its large blue butterfly colony at Collard Hill reserve in Somerset.

The purple emperor butterfly was recorded emerging at Bookham Common on June 13, the earliest national appearance since 1893.

July
The first blackberries were on bushes before the middle of the month – roughly a month earlier than normal.

The cool conditions meant insects were reluctant to fly on many days, but wet and windy weather in the north did see the first waxcap fungi in the Lake District.

August
Poor feeding conditions for young bats due to the cold weather and rain this month.

Rare heathland broad-headed bug discovered by National Trust team at Dunkery Beacon in Exmoor, along with scarce cow-wheat shieldbug. Rare tiger beetle wasp discovered at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire.

September
Early autumn leaf fall due to spring and autumn drought.

Common crane fly numbers – an important food source for bats and some birds – continued to make a slow recovery after population crash in 2007.

October
An unseasonable heatwave began the month.

Fantastic season for fruits and berries from spring-flowering shrubs including apple, hawthorn, sloe, beechnuts and acorns, but poor season for fungi in many places.

November
Second warmest November in 100 years leads to a “second spring” with spring plants including dandelions and white dead nettle flowering again, along with garden plants and shrubs.

Record-breaking grey seal breeding season at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, with 750 pups born between November and mid-December.

December
Most places have a great year for holly and mistletoe berries, as a result of the hot spring.

Fifteen short-eared owls overwintering at Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire, suggesting good success in their Scandinavian breeding grounds and possible population crash in vole population there. Also seen at Wimpole, Cambridgeshire and North Wiltshire downs.