Welcome
Gloucestershire is a wonderful county for nature and offers something for everyone. We have a wide range of habitats including urban areas in Gloucester and North Bristol, wild areas in the Forest of Dean, open commons such as Minchinhampton and Rodborough, old quarries like Breakheart near Dursley.
There are well over 100 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) containing a variety of rare and interesting plants, insects and other wildlife. Butterfly Conservation owns three reserves in the county - the Bill Smyllie Reserve, the Masts Reserve and Rough Bank.
Nearly 50 species of butterfly and over 1700 species of moth have been recorded in the county.
Species to look out for
Find out more
Discover moths at Rough Bank Reserve
Moth recording has been taking place at Rough Bank since Butterfly Conservation purchased the site in 2012. We now have records for hundreds of species, so take a look at our list of what you can find at the site.
Butterfly walks booklet
Sale now on - save up to 33%
The 2nd Edition of the Butterfly Walks in Gloucestershire booklet is now available. As well as walks, we've added an extra list of good butterfly sites around the county and a guide to the flight times of our butterflies to help you decide which walk to do and when.
Get involved
News
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Rare moth back from the brink in Kent
The Black-veined Moth has seen a bumper year in East Kent thanks to the restoration efforts of local famers.
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Butterfly numbers increased this summer
The results of the Big Butterfly Count 2023 are in, revealing a better picture for butterflies than had been feared. However, new 13-year trend figures show a worrying long-term decline.
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Rare species in Northamptonshire set to benefit from new funding announced
Butterfly Conservation has been awarded a share of £14.5 million by Natural England to help recover butterflies and moths in Northamptonshire.
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Locally extinct butterfly makes remarkable return to Stirlingshire
Northern Brown Argus discovered in Stirlingshire after 100 year absence.
Events
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Gloucestershire Branch AGM
Saturday 28th October 2023, 2:00am-5:00pm
AGM at Christchurch Abbeydale, Gloucester GL4 5EQ
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.