The Butterfly Conservation is asking us all to take part in their annual Big Butterfly Count which is taking place until August 11.
It’s the largest event of its kind in the world with over 100,000 taking part last year. It helps monitor our environmental health as butterflies react very quickly to changes in their environment.
A reduced butterfly count is an early warning for other wildlife losses.
KIDS IN SCHOOL? FIND OUT IF YOU CAN APPLY FOR HELP TOWARDS SCHOOL UNIFORM COSTS AND MORE…
Over 100,000 people took part in 2018, submitting 97,133 counts of butterflies and day-flying moths from across the UK.
“How do I take part?”
All you have to do is count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright, preferably sunny, weather. You can be sat down taking a rest or walking out in your favourite park.
Country park rangers in Tŷ Mawr have even had a path cut through the hay meadows so that people can get in amongst it so this would be perfect.
They also have a beautiful wildflower car park to take advantage of so there’s plenty of opportunities to spend 15 minutes with a great chance of seeing butterflies.”
“I’m not very good at identifying butterflies”
That’s not a problem at all. The Butterfly Conservation has a very handy and downloadable chart for you to use. It’s available on their website here.
You can take part more than once until August 11 and your sightings can be sent online at www.bigbutterflycount.org or by using their FREE big butterfly count smartphone apps available for iOS and Android.
There’s more information available by watching this useful video:
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for the Environment and Transport, said: “It’s not difficult to take part and counting butterflies is a good way to check how the biodiversity in Wrexham and across the UK is bearing up. I hope many residents, young and old, are able to take part and the park rangers have made sure that any of our country parks will be provide a stunning backdrop for any count.”
Need help with school uniform costs? Find out if you’re eligible.
[button color=”” size=”large” type=”square_outlined” target=”new” link=” https://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/education/school_uniform_grant.htm “] APPLY FOR A PUPIL DEVELOPMENT GRANT [/button]
