Nature lovers and garden enthusiasts are invited to count the butterflies of Berkshire as part of an annual UK-wide conservation survey.
The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide citizen science survey aimed at helping Butterfly Conservation to assess the health of our environment, and it is open now.
Launched in 2010, it now has over 64,000 citizen scientists who submit nearly 100,000 counts of butterflies and moths during the three-week count, tracking sightings on an interactive map.
So why count butterflies?
“We count butterflies because not only are they beautiful creatures to be around but they are also extremely important,” a representative from the charity explained. “They are vital parts of the ecosystem as both pollinators and components of the food chain. However, they are under threat. Numbers of butterflies and moths in the UK have decreased significantly since the 1970s. This is a warning that cannot be ignored.
“Butterfly declines are also an early warning for other wildlife losses. Butterflies are key biodiversity indicators for scientists as they react very quickly to changes in their environment. Therefore, if their numbers are falling, then nature is in trouble. So tracking numbers of butterflies is crucial in the fight to conserve our natural world.
“That’s why taking part in this massive citizen science enterprise is of great importance not just for our butterflies but for the wider environment and biodiversity in general.
“Counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature and we depend on you, our citizen scientists, to help us assess how much help nature needs. The data from this and other counts will also help us to identify important trends in species that will assist us in planning how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understanding the effect of climate change on wildlife.”
With Sir David Attenborough as President of Butterfly Conservation, the importance of this work cannot be understated.
Want to get involved? Taking part is easy. Download the butterfly ID chart from the charity’s website, and at some point between now and Sunday 4th August, choose a place to sit and spot butterflies and moths. Then you can track your sightings online or via the app.
You can take place in any outdoor space, whether that’s your own garden, a park, school grounds, fields or forests.
To download your guide and take part, visit https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/about.
