Huge citizen science project begins to track British butterflies
Migratory patterns are changing as a result of global warming, with the public invited to help scientists understand the UK’s changing biosphere.
Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation has today launched the Big Butterfly Count. Running from 12th July to 4th August, the project asks participants to spend 15 minutes in a sunny location, and record the number and type of butterflies they can see.
The largest citizen science project of its kind, 2023 saw 135,000 individual counts take place across the country. Participants spent a combined total of almost four years engaging with the initiative, producing invaluable results
Looking back at around 50 years of data on butterflies, scientists already know our warming climate is changing migratory patterns. Many species, including the Peacock, Comma, and Holly Blue, are moving further north as conditions change. The Jersey Tiger, previously only found in South West England, is now being spotted in central London, while the Scotch Argus is retreating into the Highlands in a bid to stay cool.
‘Thirty years ago you wouldn’t have seen a Holly Blue in Scotland, now it has expanded where it lives across the UK by 34%, increasingly spreading northward,’ said Dr Zoë Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation. ‘And the Red Admiral, which was once a migratory species most commonly seen in southern England in the summer and then leaving for Europe in the winter, is now living in the UK all year round, resulting in a three-fold increase in their numbers.
‘We’re also seeing other species which have previously suffered severe declines, such as the Comma, recovering, with a huge increase of 94% in where it is found,’ she added. ‘These highly adaptable species are all able to move into new places as the climate warms, but for habitat specific species, these trends raise serious red flags.’
Butterflies are a key indicator of environmental health, and more than half of Britain’s native species are now considered to be endangered or under threat of extinction. According to Butterfly Conservation, this makes the annual count a crucial weapon in trying to preserve vulnerable populations and understand the impact of rising temperatures.
‘The UK is a nation of amateur naturalists, and we have a proud tradition of celebrating and studying our wildlife,’ said Sir David Attenborough. ‘Every single person taking part in the Big Butterfly Count helps to build a picture of how butterflies are faring and how we can best conserve them. A few precious moments spent watching a stunning Red Admiral or Peacock butterfly feeding amongst the flowers in my garden never fails to bring me great pleasure.’
Find out how to get involved in the Big Butterfly Count here.
More on climate change:
We’re Doomed, Now What? New report predicts 5 climate adaptation scenarios