Welcome
Welcome to the Devon Branch of Butterfly Conservation. If you live in the region and are a member of Butterfly Conservation you automatically become a member of the Devon Branch.
Devon has around 39 resident butterfly species and we can help point you in the right direction on where and when is best to see them. Why not join in our one of our Events (during the summer we organise field events to show you some of our resident butterfly species and in the winter we organise conservation work days to improve the habitat for butterflies in Devon). Click here to view more details or scroll down this page to the section marked "Get Involved"
Species to look out for
Devon updates
February 2020
Our February 2020 newsletter and our Summer Events 2020 Programme have just been released - if you click on these links you can download them. They are also on our Members page where you can find many of our past newsletters too.
Do you want to do something to help Devon's butterflies this winter? Then why not join us on one (or more) of our Winter Conservation Workdays. You will find us a friendly bunch of people and we have events all around the county so that you can pick what suits you best. Members often ask what they will be expected to do on one of these workdays - well, we all do as much or as little as we each feel confident is right for us - so you can really 'stuck into' getting rid of a marathon mound of brambles or you could do a bit of gentle pruning. Its up to you!. See below in our Events section for our full list of dates - in February, on Saturday 8th - BC Lydford Reserve & on Sunday 23rd - Heathfield reserve near Bovey Tracey. If one of these looks of interest to you then check out the full details on our Events listing here. Then in March we are holding a Dartmoor Fritillary Survey Meeting on 18th March at the Woodland Centre, East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve (Yarner Wood), TQ13 9LJ (Booking required for this event)
Great news - the branch is now on Facebook as well as Twitter. Look for us on Facebook as Butterfly Conservation Devon and on Twitter as @BCDevon.
Don't forget we still are keeping our Sightings page up to date - there are butterflies to see on sunny days! So let us know if you have seen any butterflies. Our next newsletter is due in February - but in the mean time catch up with our previous summer and winter news on our Members page.
Learn more
Latest Sightings
Have you seen a butterfly? Take a look at our latest sightings page to find out what you can see at this time of year and what species were seen each month last year!
Conservation projects in Devon
The ‘All the Moor Butterflies’ project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will help to restore and create habitat for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary, Heath Fritillary and Marsh Fritillary on some of the UK’s most famous moorland landscapes, including Exmoor, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor.
Key sites to see species
Find out more about some of our main butterfly species and the best sites to see them in Devon.
Newsletters and email news
Keep up to date with all our latest news by signing up for our email newsletter or catching up on our past ones.
Get involved
News
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The ‘bog squad’ celebrates six years of success in protecting Scotland's peatlands
Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation celebrates six years of the incredibly successful ‘Bog Squad’ initiative this March.
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Who will protect the protectors?
Butterfly Conservation are shocked and deeply saddened at the recent murders of Mexican butterfly activists Homero Gómez González and Raúl Hernández Romero.
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Agriculture Bill: A Big Day for Farming and Wildlife
The long-awaited publication of a landmark Agriculture Bill in parliament is a crucial piece of legislation which will have profound implications for the butterflies, moths, wildlife and wider environment of England.
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Managing land for butterflies and moths
Our work seeks to help the development of new land management support schemes by combining the latest scientific evidence and Butterfly Conservation’s practical experience of working with farmers and land owners on the ground.
Events
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Devon: Work Party - Heathfield Reserve near Bovey Tracey
Sunday 23rd February 2020, 10:30am-2:30pm
Heathfield Reserve near Bovey Tracey
Raking, clearing and coppicing at Teignbridge’s Heathfield reserve to maintain the open and warm heathland there.
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Devon: Dartmoor Fritillary Survey Meeting
Wednesday 18th March, 10.30am - 3pm
Woodland Centre, East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve (Yarner Wood), TQ13 9LJ
A meeting for all those interested in or involved with fritillary butterfly surveys on Dartmoor.
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Devon: Moth Event - Norman Lockyer Observatory, Sidmouth
Friday 8th to Saturday 9th May 2020, 8:00pm-10:00am
Norman Lockyer Observatory, Sidmouth
Moth event at Norman Lockyer Observatory, Sidmouth
Volunteer with us
Butterfly Conservation relies on the support of thousands of volunteers, and we are always looking for more help inside the office and out in the field. Whether you want to volunteer at a local branch, get outside and help manage our nature reserves, or help with one of our events, we have something for everyone to get involved in! Your time can make a real difference.
Branch information
In your area
Contact branch
- Chairman
Jonathan Aylett - Branch Organiser
Marjory Taylor - Treasurer
Ray Jones