As the Olympics swing into action, another big event is on the final straight. And this one doesn’t require years of training, a specially built arena or donning lycra!
Pick a spot, any spot
Our friends over at Butterfly Conservation are running their Big Butterfly Count. Everything you need to know is on their website.
It lasts just another week, until 5 August. It’s pretty straightforward, you need to pick a spot (anywhere) and then see how many butterflies and moths you can see in just 15 minutes. See, I said you didn’t need anywhere special, or any training! Surely you can spend just a quarter of an hour this weekend counting butterflies? It’ll be fun!
I’ll be giving it a go, there probably won’t be too many butterflies in my small garden, but it is slightly overgrown and I have planted a few butterfly-attracting flowers.
And because it lasts just 15 minutes, it’s perfect to fit in during a break in the Olympics!
Reserves
Our reserves are also great for butterflies. I’m told by those in the know that they’re home to 57 of the 59 resident UK species. So they’ll be a great place to try the count too. But any open space will be perfect.
Once you’ve done your count you need to submit your results to Butterfly Conservation. But, leave a comment and let me know how you get on as well.
Go on, give it a go!
For more on our science, check out the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science web pages.
What I love about the Big Butterfly Count is that it's so quick and easy to do, and you can have a go as many times as you want! So I've been trying to break an 'Olympic' record for the amount of sighting I can submit!
Natalie Windsor
Email: nataliewindsor@live.co.uk