Help Conservation By Counting Butterflies
The charity Butterfly Conservation has been running an annual survey of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) since 2010.
Butterflies and moths are very sensitive to changes in their environment. The charity wants to see how butterfly species change over time. Will some species be lost as a result of changing weather patterns? Will they migrate to different areas of the country? If more wild flowers and hedges are planted or if road verges are managed differently, will struggling populations recover?
So, to do your bit, simply spend 15 minutes sitting in a garden. Visit a park, a wood or even sit in a field and make a note of the species you see. Alternatively, take a butterfly book or download the butterfly ID chart from the Big Butterfly Count website, both of which will help. Finally, you could even get the smartphone app so that you can record and submit your findings at the same time.
In 2012, almost 27,000 people took part. They counted 223,000 individual butterflies and day-flying moths across the UK. Lets see if we can make it 28,000 people this year……….
Make The Big Butterfly Count 2014 Even Better
So, plant a wild flower plot in your own garden or encourage your local school, park, supermarket or church to transform an area into a butterfly conservation patch.
Meadowmat Wildflower matting contains a good mix of species. They have been selected to provide nectar for adult butterflies as well as food plants for the caterpillars. Not only this but compared to wildflower seeds Meadowmat is easy to install and get established.
Finally, we have created a downloadable FREE guide to creating a wildflower area. This covers preparing the ground, establishing wildflowers and managing your species rich patch in the years to come.
How to attract butterflies and bees to your garden 
Butterfly Conservation 
