Chasing down butterflies can reduce anxiety and help stress

Participants in a major nature study agreed to be surveyed over their mental health counting insects

COUNTING butterflies can reduce anxiety and boost a sense of connection with nature, a study has found.

Researchers surveyed participants in the Big Butterfly Count in 2022, in which wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation encouraged people to spend 15 minutes outside counting butterflies to help scientists track how the insects were faring. Surveys completed by 382 people before and after the three-week count period revealed a 9 per cent reduction in anxiety among participants, and a greater sense of connection with nature, as well as noticing butterflies and nature more.

Further surveys completed by 345 people, which were sent five weeks after the count, did not find nature connectedness and reduced anxiety had been maintained. But they revealed an increase in general wellbeing compared with before the project. The research, published in the journal Biological Conservation, was carried out by Butterfly Conservation and University of Derby.

The surveys revealed people had a range of positive and negative emotions associated with taking part, ranging from joy and fascination to sadness and concern about declining wildlife.

Richard Fox, head of science at Butterfly

Conservation, said: “While we have long known there is a link between nature and human wellbeing, this study is the first to prove that the simple act of looking for and counting butterflies leads to a decrease in anxiety.

“The results suggest that citizen science projects can play a part in improving people’s mental health, as well as gathering important data on how butterflies are faring to inform our conservation work.”

Carly Butler, from the University of Derby and lead researcher on the study, said the benefits of reduced anxiety and stronger connectedness with nature were the same whether people just carried out one 15-minute count or did so multiple times.

“This is key in proving that simple, small pockets of time connecting with wildlife and nature have a profound and beneficial effect on how we feel.”

Dr Butler added that participants felt motivated to help butterflies and nature by doing things such as transforming their gardens into butterfly-friendly havens.

Dr Fox said: “Nature is in crisis, but we can all do something to help.

“Simple acts such as creating wild spaces to provide a haven for wildlife, or planting butterfly-friendly plants in pots on a patio, terrace or balcony, can have a positive impact.”

This year’s Big Butterfly Count, in which people are asked to spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot recording the number and type of common butterflies and day-flying moths they see, will take place from July 12 to Aug 4.