Will you help count butterflies?

TV presenter Chris Packham and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation have launched this year’s Big Butterfly Count to give people a chance to give a gift back to nature this summer.

With lockdown easing more Renfrewshire residents are spending time in nature as a welcome release from their homes.

The fine weather of spring 2020 has seen the earliest average emergence of butterflies for the last 20 years, with Butterfly Conservation receiving thousands of extra enquiries about butterfly and moth sightings.

Now the charity is looking for people to help track numbers throughout the countryside.

Chris Packham said:“While so many of us have had a bit more time to appreciate the nature on our doorsteps during the lockdown period, and learning about the natural world has been a mindful distraction from uncertainty, this is a real chance to do something positive and contribute to conserving nature.

“Butterflies and moths are key indicators of the health of our environment and anyone can help contribute to our understanding of these incredible creatures by taking part in in the Big Butterfly Count.

“The sightings you submit will be used to map and measure populations and the geographic spread of species across the UK. We’re asking everyone who has been given a helping hand from nature this year to return the favour.”

Visit Bigbutterflycount.org to find out more or download the free Big Butterfly Count app to enter your findings.