The charity Butterfly Conservation is holding its annual Big Butterfly Count – the biggest butterfly survey in the world.
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth. The Old Forge, July 2014
Starting today and running until 10th August, this is an easy and fun opportunity to help butterfly and moth conservation in the UK.
If you’d like to take part, simply wait for a sunny spell and spend 15 minutes either on a walk or sitting in a garden, wood or park with a mug of tea (not compulsory) and count any butterflies and moths you see.
Tortoiseshell, The Priory yesterday
You can download a smart phone app for the count from Butterfly Conservation or be retro-groovy and just jot down what you see on a sheet of paper. (But you’ll need to re-join the real world to enter your results online). You can do as many counts as you like, on different days and from different locations.
Marbled White, July 2012
Please do take part. The information you provide will help chart population trends and might even save certain species from extinction.
Meadow Brown, The Priory yesterday
There is further information, an ID chart and that app (iOS or Android) at the Big Butterfly Count website. And if you could re-blog, tweet, like this on Facebook, tell your family and friends and help promote the count in any other way that would be great. Obviously, the more people taking part, the better.
Butterfly Conservation are also running an online raffle. Tickets are £1 with a top prize of £500. Further details – here.