The Big Butterfly Count takes place between Friday 12th July and Sunday 4th August.
The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide survey that assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and types of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) that we see.
Over 64,000 people took part in the 2022 survey, submitting 96257 counts of butterflies across the UK.
Butterflies are beautiful to look at and to see around the garden and when you’re out on walks in the countryside, but there’s a more serious reason behind counting them!
They play an extremely important role in the eco-system as they are pollinators. When they do this their bodies collect pollen and carry it to other plants. This helps fruits, vegetables, and flowers to produce new seeds. Most plants need pollinators like bees and butterflies to reproduce.
Butterflies and caterpillars are also a low level – but very important part of the food chain. They are a source of food for birds, spiders, mice and other animals.
Butterflies are very sensitive to habitat and climate change and react very quickly to any changes in their environment. Any decline in butterfly numbers is an early warning for other losses in wildlife in the future. Gardens that attract butterflies also attracts native bees and birds
If butterfly populations diminish (or disappear altogether!), the impact will be felt higher up and can affect the entire ecosystem.
You can take part in the Big Butterfly Count by downloading your butterfly chart and spending 15 minutes (preferably on a warm sunny day) in your garden or while you’re out in the countryside and mark down the types and number of butterflies you see. It’s also important to note the butterflies you don’t see, as this helps with noticing declines of certain species of butterfly numbers across the UK.
So, get your downloadable chart here!
Simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright (preferably sunny) weather during the Big Butterfly Count. They have chosen this time of year because most butterflies are at the adult stage of their lifecycle, so more likely to be seen. Records are welcome from anywhere: from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields and forests.
If you are counting from a fixed position in your garden, count the maximum number of each species that you can see at a single time. For example, if you see three Red Admirals together on a buddleia bush then record it as 3, but if you only see one at a time then record it as 1 (even if you saw one on several occasions) - this is so that you don't count the same butterfly more than once.
If you are doing your count on a walk, then simply total up the number of each butterfly species that you see during the 15 minutes.
