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The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Lars B. Pettersson, Associate Professor in Animal Ecology, Lund University

For many in the UK, 2024 was the year without a butterfly

Small tortoiseshell butterflies had their worst year on record. HWall/Shutterstock

The charity behind the world’s largest butterfly survey has declared a national emergency.

Butterfly Conservation’s annual Big Butterfly Count, which started in 2010, asks people in the UK to tally the number of butterflies and day-flying moths they see. Over 85,000 volunteers recorded their sightings in 2024, over 25 days between mid-July and early August when conditions for spotting butterflies are usually best.

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