Butterfly Conservation is proud to be working with Marks & Spencer to help reverse the decline of butterflies and moths.

The Making Butterflies Count campaign began in 2010 as part of M&S' Plan A commitments to encourage sustainable agriculture and help protect the environment.

Britain is losing its butterflies

There are 58 species of butterfly in the UK and over 2,500 types of moth but their survival is being threatened. In the last hundred years, four butterflies and over 60 moths have become extinct. Almost half of our butterflies are now threatened and 70 per cent of common moths are declining.

Butterflies count

Butterflies and moths are very sensitive to environmental change, which makes them an excellent indicator of the health of the countryside. Protecting butterflies means creating a healthier environment for everyone but conservation work must be targeted where the need is greatest. More than 10,000 people took part in the Big Butterfly Count 2010 - making it the biggest ever single count anywhere in the world.

Join the Big Butterfly Count 16-31 July 2011

We hope that the Big Butterfly Count will be even bigger in 2011. Just spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot and record how many of each species you see. You can download an Identification chart and log your sightings on the Big Butterfly Count website.

Plant for Butterflies

This year sees an exciting new initiative to help butterflies. The Planting for Butterflies campaign launched on 4 April, encouraging people to plant butterfly-friendly plants in their gardens.

The top five nectar plants Butterfly Conservation recommends are: Buddleia, Verbena bonariensis, the Perennial Wallflower (Bowles Mauve, Lavender and Marjoram (Oregano).

Do your bit for butterflies by planting these plants in April and enjoy taking part in the count this July 2011.

Schools

There are great opportunities for primary schools to get involved in the big butterfly count this year. We're working with the National Schools Partnership who have developed The Butterfly Effect, a fantastic new teaching resource. Aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils, the Butterfly Effect is cross-curricular - covering science, maths, geography and arts. Lesson plans, activity sheets and Butterfly ID charts can be downloaded and used in schools to get children excited about butterflies and help them take part in this year's big butterfly count. Teachers can register their schools now and all the teaching resources will be available on the big butterfly count website from late April.

Butterflies and farmland

Farmland is the main habitat for over three-quarters of butterflies. Butterfly Conservation is visiting selected M&S farmers to advise them on how to encourage and maintain butterflies on their farms.

Get involved

To get more involved in saving butterflies, moths and the environment contact your local branch of Butterfly Conservation.

Butterfly Conservation is not only offering M&S customers 15 months membership for the price of 12. Join Butterfly Conservation today and enter promotional code MS2 and you will also receive invitations to events in your area, magazines and newsletters packed with information, advice and more.

Find out more about Butterfly Conservation.