Did you know that butterflies taste with their feet? Or, that they do not eat, but drink nectar through a long tube called a proboscis? Did you know that their wings are covered in tiny scales that give the attractive and complex patterns we see?

Did you know that many of our beautiful butterflies in the UK are in decline and need help?

For 50 years the Butterfly Conservation Trust has been collecting data on the different types and number of butterflies present across the UK. The data indicates that changes to the way that land is used across the country, such as intensified agriculture and changing woodland management, means that many butterfly populations have suffered.

On a positive note, there are a minority of species that are currently doing well, but, unfortunately, their future is uncertain.

Butterflies are easily affected by changes in the environment, and this makes them an important indicator of the overall health of our landscapes. The Big Butterfly Count provides an opportunity every year to collect vital data on what types of, and how many, butterflies there are across the country. In this way, The Butterfly Conservation Trust can create an accurate picture of how populations are changing over time.

It’s easy and fun to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, all you need to do is:

1. Download the app (on iOS or Android), or print off an ID sheet;
2. Spend 15 minutes sitting in one spot and recording what butterflies you see – this could be in a garden, a park or a woodland!

That’s it! But, the best thing is you can record as many times as you like in different locations, and get friends and family involved too!

Remember, if you don’t see any butterflies, that’s important to record too!

If you want to do more, there are other ways to help butterflies in your garden:

• Plant wildflowers! Check out which wildflower species are in our Butterfly Mix;
• Set aside a plot for pollinators – here’s a great guide from the Butterfly Conservation Trust;
• Don’t use insecticides or pesticides!
• Only use peat free compost – peatlands are important habitats for butterflies, find out why more about why our seed balls are peat free.   

 

The Butterfly Conservation Trust is a charity that envisages a world where butterflies and moths thrive and can be enjoyed by everyone, forever. This year they celebrate 50 years of contributions to the conservation and protection of species across the UK and Europe. You can follow the #ButterflyCount on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

 

 

Did you know that butterflies taste with their feet? Or, that they do not eat, but drink nectar through a long tube called a proboscis? Did you know that their wings are covered in tiny scales that give the attractive and complex patterns we see?

Did you know that many of our beautiful butterflies in the UK are in decline and need help?

For 50 years the Butterfly Conservation Trust has been collecting data on the different types and number of butterflies present across the UK. The data indicates that changes to the way that land is used across the country, such as intensified agriculture and changing woodland management, means that many butterfly populations have suffered.

On a positive note, there are a minority of species that are currently doing well, but, unfortunately, their future is uncertain.

Butterflies are easily affected by changes in the environment, and this makes them an important indicator of the overall health of our landscapes. The Big Butterfly Count provides an opportunity every year to collect vital data on what types of, and how many, butterflies there are across the country. In this way, The Butterfly Conservation Trust can create an accurate picture of how populations are changing over time.

It’s easy and fun to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, all you need to do is:

1. Download the app (on iOS or Android), or print off an ID sheet;
2. Spend 15 minutes sitting in one spot and recording what butterflies you see – this could be in a garden, a park or a woodland!

That’s it! But, the best thing is you can record as many times as you like in different locations, and get friends and family involved too!

Remember, if you don’t see any butterflies, that’s important to record too!

If you want to do more, there are other ways to help butterflies in your garden:

• Plant wildflowers! Check out which wildflower species are in our Butterfly Mix;
• Set aside a plot for pollinators – here’s a great guide from the Butterfly Conservation Trust;
• Don’t use insecticides or pesticides!
• Only use peat free compost – peatlands are important habitats for butterflies, find out why more about why our seed balls are peat free.   

 

The Butterfly Conservation Trust is a charity that envisages a world where butterflies and moths thrive and can be enjoyed by everyone, forever. This year they celebrate 50 years of contributions to the conservation and protection of species across the UK and Europe. You can follow the #ButterflyCount on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!