PEOPLE are being asked to take part in the UK’s annual count of butterflies after fears they may have been impacted by poor weather in the spring.
The Big Butterfly Count, which takes place over the next three weeks, is encouraging members of the public to spend 15 minutes outside counting the number and type of butterflies that they see.
The charity running the scheme, Butterfly Conservation, said its records suggest that the cold and wet spring earlier in the year appear to have affected many species of butterfly - with particularly low numbers of speckled wood butterflies.
Springwatch presenter and vice-president of Butterfly Conservation Chris Packham said taking part in the count could provide valuable research into the impact of climate change on wildlife.
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“Because butterflies and moths make excellent indicators of the impacts of climate change and other human environmental factors, collecting data on their numbers is really important.
“Biodiversity and the climate crisis is an urgent issue and it can be overwhelming to think about what we can do as individuals to really make a difference.
“Something as simple as recording a butterfly spotted in your garden, at your local park or on your window box can play a part in vital research into a global problem.”
More than 145,000 recordings were submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, but saw the lowest number of average butterflies logged since the annual count started 12 years ago.
Dr Zoe Randle, senior surveys officer at Butterfly Conservation, said: “We really need the public’s help to understand what is happening to our butterfly and moth populations. This information will not only help us to protect these species, but also to inform what effect the changing climate is having on our biodiversity.”
Scientists warn that the UK faces the prospect of more extreme weather events, like this year’s unseasonably wet spring, as a result of climate change - with Brighton ranked as the most at risk British city from the climate crisis.
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