One of the most joyful things about this time of year is watching butterflies flit from flower to flower, happily going about their day. Sadly, it is a joy which we cannot take for granted. 80% of butterfly species have declined since the 1970s and 2024 was one of the WORSE years on record for UK butterflies.
Butterfly Conservation has declared a butterfly emergency, so YOUR help is needed more than ever. The biggest driver of decline for butterflies has been habitat loss to intensive agriculture, plantation forestry and urban development. The use of chemic fertilisers and toxic pesticides; damage to hedgerows and field margins have added to this further. In addition, our weather is increasingly extreme due to climate change; the result is ongoing decline for our butterflies. The Small Tortoiseshell, for example, suffered its lowest numbers across all four UK countries in 2024, declining by 64% at monitored sites.
UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) has revealed that 2024 was the fifth worst year on record for UK butterflies. It ranked 45th out of 49 years of recording. More than half of butterfly species are now in long-term decline and over one third are showing significant declines. More than 3,000 sites are regularly monitored each year. The Ringlet was the only species that showed no change to 2023. More statistics and country breakdowns may be found at ukbms.org/official-statistics.
One way YOU can help is to take part in the Big Butterfly Count. It is the biggest citizen science project of its kind and helps conservationists understand how the UK’s butterflies are faring. In an ever-changing climate, information about how butterflies are responding to extreme weather is vital in helping making conservations decisions to protect butterflies for future generations.
All you need do is spend 15 minutes in any sunny spot (ideally between 10 – 4 pm) and count the number and type of butterflies and any day-flying moths you see. You can download the free Big Butterfly Count app or visit www.bigbutterflycount.org to submit your results. There is lots of helpful information and a free spotter’s guide on the app and website, so it does not matter if this is your first time or your fiftieth.
The Big Butterfly Count runs until 10 August 2025 and you may take part as many times as you like. It is open to everyone in the UK – any green space, back garden, terrace or balcony with some pot plants, a public park, allotment, field or country lane. All important places to explore, track and report. If you do not see any butterflies within your 15 minutes, please report that too. It is just as important for scientists to know where there are no butterflies, as well as where they are sighted. Enjoy counting!
For more details about how your garden can help butterflies, listen to my eco podcast interview with Penny here (the recording is from 2024 so everything still applies except the Butterfly Count deadline).
Dr Katrina Easterling
Butterfly monitor for Butterfly Conservation.
