Take 15 minutes to save British butterflies

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is urging Britons to take time to count butterflies, amid fears that common British species are dying out.

Today marks the annual launch of the Big Butterfly Count, which encourages the public to look for 18 common species such as the Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper, which are struggling. More than three-quarters of the UK’S butterflies have declined in the past 40 years, according to the charity Butterfly Conservation.

The Small Tortoiseshell saw a 47 per cent drop in numbers while Peacock butterflies slumped to their second worst year on record, with a drop of 42 per cent on 2015 numbers.

Sir David, who is president of the charity, said: “Worryingly, we are now seeing the fortunes of some of our once common butterflies mirror those of our rarest species, and they too are now also suffering significant declines, with butterflies declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside.

The Big Butterfly Count runs until August 6. To take part, find a sunny spot and spend 15 minutes counting the butterflies you see and then submit sightings online at www.bigbutterflycount.org or via the free Big Butterfly Count app.