Butterfly Conservation‘s Big Butterfly Count begins on Friday, 17th July 2026, and runs until Sunday, 9th August 2026. It’s a great activity to do with the kids and a lovely opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and relax. Vitally, it provides information to help understand the state of our environment.
Why are butterflies important?
Butterflies are a vital part of the ecosystem; they are major pollinators and an important component of the food chain. As such, they act as a highly sensitive environmental barometer.
What is the Big Butterfly Count?
The annual Big Butterfly Count is a tally of the different butterfly species you spot in a 15-minute period in your nearest green space.
Alarmingly, 80% of butterflies have declined since the 1970s and 2024 figures confirmed this pattern of long-term decline. I have my fingers crossed that 2026 will bring better results. I’ve seen more already this year than previous years; I imagine due to the sunny spring and early summer.
The count plays a crucial role in helping assess the health of our environment. It enables Butterfly Conservation to identify significant trends and better understand how butterflies are faring in the face of a nature and climate crisis. This aids the organisation in planning how to protect butterflies from extinction, and in recognising other key issues affecting wildlife.
How you can take part in the Big Butterfly Count
- Head to the website – https://www.bigbutterflycount.org/ – and download the identification chart (where you can also record your count)
- At any time between Friday, 17th July and Sunday, 9th August, find a nice, sunny spot where butterflies (and moths) are likely to be. Note down the number and types you spot in 15 minutes. You can take part multiple times.
- Add your count/s on the website here or via the app (search ‘Big Butterfly Count’)
Butterfly Conservation NEEDS YOU!
Read how Butterfly Conservation is calling on people across the UK to take part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count and help scientists understand how climate change is moving butterflies in this press release: Calling all wildlife lovers – Britain’s Butterflies need you!
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Have fun spotting butterflies. If you need any ideas for encouraging more wildlife to your garden, take a look at this post:
https://www.theparentsocial.com/how-to-introduce-more-wildlife-and-birds-to-your-garden/
