Butterfly Conservation: Make a Difference with the Big Butterfly Count

Want to help the Butterfly Conservation and take nature’s pulse?

Join the Big Butterfly Count!

The Big Butterfly Count is a public science survey aimed at assessing the health of our environment.

Launched in 2010, it’s now the world’s biggest survey of butterflies. In 2022, over 64,000 everyday people took part, submitting 96,257 counts of butterflies and day-flying moths from all over the UK.

They count butterflies because they’re not just beautiful, but also really important to our environment.

They’re vital pollinators and part of the food chain, but sadly, their numbers have decreased significantly since the 1970s.

It’s a warning we simply can’t ignore.

Butterflies are also an early warning for other wildlife losses.

Scientists use them as a quick and easy way to track changes in the environment.

If butterfly numbers are falling, nature is in trouble.

So your participation in this survey counts for a lot – not just for butterflies, but for the wider environment and biodiversity in general.

Download their handy butterfly ID chart or free app for iOS and Android to identify and record the butterflies you spot.

Between Friday 12th July and Sunday 4th August choose a spot to watch butterflies and moths for 15 minutes.

Record which species you see, and then report your counts.

Add them here on their website or via the app and take a look at their amazing interactive map to see how your data is helping conservation science and research.