A return to more "traditional" weather this year has helped British wildlife claw its way back from two disastrous summers in the previous years, conservationists said yesterday.

But Matthew Oates, the National Trust's conservation adviser, said another good year was needed to help species of butterflies, birds and bees bounce back fully.

And some creatures including the daddy-long-legs or cranefly and the cuckoo are continuing to struggle, the National Trust warned.

Mr Oates said a return to some hot and dry periods in the summer, and even the colder winter at the beginning of the year, helped repair "quite a lot of the considerable damage done" in 2007 and 2008, when extremely wet summers and warmer winters disturbed natural patterns.

"This year has stopped the rot and enabled our wildlife to claw its way back up the ladder a bit," he said.

But he said: "With the coldest winter for over 20 years in the south of England and one of the top five warmest years on record, the weather continues to challenge our wildlife."