• Dig It – Gardening tips for November

    As gardeners, we always tend to have one eye on the present, while looking forward to the future. It rarely stops, except in the depths of winter when everything that can be done, is done.

  • Scientists identify British butterflies most threatened by climate change

    Scientists have discovered why climate change may be contributing to the decline of some British butterflies and moths, such as Silver-studded Blue and High Brown Fritillary butterflies.

  • No place like home

    No place like home: species are on the move, but many have nowhere to go.

  • The Butterfly Effect

    The Butterfly Effect. In Gloucestershire, we've borrowed a term associated with Chaos Theory, a curious idea that postulates that a butterfly flapping its wings in one place could cause a massive storm elsewhere.

  • No let-up in net loss of UK’s nature

    The UK’s wildlife continues to decline according to the State of Nature 2019 report. The latest findings show that since rigorous scientific monitoring began in the 1970s there has been a 13% decline in average abundance across wildlife studied and that the declines continue unabated.

  • Holy Grail of moth recording reappears in Britain

    Numerous recent sightings of a moth that became extinct in the UK in the 1960s, suggest that it has recolonised and is now breeding across southern Britain.

  • The Year of the Painted Lady

    In just three weeks this summer, nearly half a million Painted Lady butterflies were counted as part of the 10th UK-wide Big Butterfly Count, run by Butterfly Conservation and sponsored by B&Q.

  • On the verge of something big

    UK wildlife charities have teamed up with England’s government advisor on natural environment to persuade local councils and landowners to help save our pollinators.

  • Mediterranean Blue Butterfly Invades Britain

    Climate change is causing a striking butterfly from southern Europe to appear in record-breaking numbers across the south of England, wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation can reveal.

  • Winnie the Pooh takes part in the Big Butterfly Count

    Winnie the Pooh is encouraging families to enjoy the great outdoors this summer by joining Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count.

  • Blue Butterfly Boom in Summer Heatwave

    A beautiful blue butterfly which has been struggling for the last 40 years could be making a comeback.

  • Spot a once in a decade butterfly phenomenon

    Chris Packham is urging wildlife lovers to take part in the world’s largest insect citizen science survey to help reveal if the UK is experiencing a once in a decade butterfly phenomenon.

  • The Emperor Returns to Norfolk

    An elusive butterfly which disappeared from Norfolk half a century ago, has officially returned.

  • Extinct butterfly breeds in English first

    A previously extinct butterfly has bred successfully in an English woodland for the first time in more than 40 years as part of the ambitious conservation project, Back from the Brink.

  • Butterflies bounce back in heatwave summer

    UK butterflies bounced back in 2018 following a string of poor years, thanks in part to last year’s heatwave summer, a study has revealed.

  • Street lights affect wildflower pollination

    Street lighting operating all night can alter the natural pollination of a common wildflower, a study involving Butterfly Conservation (BC) has revealed.

  • Environment Bill

    In July 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the Government would bring forward an Environment Bill. Butterfly Conservation (BC) understand that Defra are working on the draft of the Bill, to cover England and reserved matters in devolved countries, and this will be published before Christmas.

  • Norfolk 2018 AGM Report

    A successful Members’ afternoon and AGM had 66 people attending.  We were joined by Jim Asher and Mike Dean, Chair and Vice-chair respectively of Butterfly Conservation Trustees

  • The nocturnal pollinators: scientists reveal the secret life of moths

    Scientists have discovered that moths may play a much broader role as plant pollinators than previously suspected.

  • Small Tortoiseshell crashes despite heatwave

    Numbers of one of the UK’s best known garden butterflies have plummeted this summer despite the record-breaking hot weather, results from the Big Butterfly Count have revealed.

  • Scottish Ministers step in to make final decision on controversial golf course proposals

    Scottish Ministers have “called-in” plans for a golf course at Coul Links near Embo, East Sutherland after deciding that the case is of ‘national importance’.

  • The Prince of Wales takes part in Big Butterfly Count

    The Prince of Wales has recorded dozens of butterflies while taking part in the world’s largest butterfly survey at his home in Highgrove, Gloucestershire.

  • Attenborough: ‘Watching butterflies is good for you!’

    Sir David Attenborough has spoken of the mental health benefits of watching butterflies as he urged the public to take part in the world’s biggest butterfly survey over the next three weeks.

  • Bradfield Woods 21June18 Field Report

    Six people met in the car-park of Bradfield Woods. It was sunny but with a strong North Wind blowing.  Not a good start to the day. Well how wrong you can be

  • Latest trends in butterfly indicators revealed

    In the UK, since 1976, the habitat specialists butterflies index has fallen by 77%, whilst wider countryside abundance is down by 46%.

  • Carlton Marshes 17Jun18 Field Trip Report

    5 of us met at the visitor centre. It was warm but a bit overcast and we ventured out along the path to the marshes. Lots of damselflies and dragonflies and we saw 6 different species of butterflies.

  • Butterfly Alert No 7 18Jun2018

    Hello and welcome to the seventh Butterfly Alert of 2018. Apologies for the delay in sending this and my thanks to all who reported their Wall sightings - turns out they were just late in emerging. A lot to catch up with this time
  • March of the micros

    An increasing number of new moth species are arriving and settling in the UK as a result of the global reach of the horticultural trade and the changing climate, moth experts today revealed.

  • Extinct butterfly flies again

    The Chequered Skipper has been returned to England after 40 year absence

  • Butterfly Alert No 6 19 May 2018

    Hello and welcome to the sixth alert of 2018. We now have reports of Common Blue, Small Heath and Swallowtail