How to take part in the Big Butterfly Count around Long Ashton

Jenny Hyndman
Jul 11
2 min read

A painted lady butterfly. Credit: Butterfly Conservation

The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide citizen science survey, organised by Butterfly Conservation, aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world's biggest survey of butterflies. Over 64,000 people take part each year, submitting over 96,000 counts of butterflies and day-flying moths from across the UK!

This year, the Big Butterfly Count 2025 runs between Friday 18th of July and Sunday 10th of August.

Why count butterflies?

Following the devastatingly poor results of the Big Butterfly Count 2024, Butterfly Conservation have declared a butterfly emergency.

Butterflies are beautiful, special creatures to be around, but they are also extremely important. They are vital parts of our ecosystem as both pollinators and components of the food chain. However, there is a real cause for concern: numbers of butterflies and moths in the UK have decreased significantly since the 1970s. This is a warning that cannot be ignored as butterfly declines are also an early warning signal for other wildlife losses and threats to habitats.

How to get involved:

Step 1: Get to know what the species look like

Visit the website and download the ID chart.

Download the Big Butterfly Count app and familiarise yourself through the chart in the app.

Step 2. Survey for 15 minutes

Simply choose a spot, your garden or a public place, and observe butterflies for 15 minutes. Setting a timer is best so you're not clock-watching. Either make notes or a tally of which species you see, or enter them directly into the app (it has a counting feature).

Around 10:30am on a still, dry, sunny day is optimal for butterflies.

Repeat your counts in as many places as possible - walking the dog, waiting for the bus, taking out the bins! All data is useful, including counts of zero.

Step 3. Upload your count

If you've counted directly into the app, you'll just need to confirm your location.

Alternatively, you can add a count via the website here.

Amazingly, all the other counts from around the country can be viewed on the interactive map too.

(If you have spotted species which are not on the target species list, there is a handy way you can record them too using the iRecord Butterflies App.)

Two burnet moths enjoying a field scabious flower in Lark Meadow

Please spread the word so that we can collaboratively gather as much data as possible and build the best possible picture of butterfly health in Long Ashton. If you have any questions or challenges - send us an email.