Blog

Introducing Ian Middlebrook, Butterfly Monitoring Co-ordinator at Butterfly Conservation.

Late season nectar for hibernating species and migrating moths

Make time for nature into your working day to boost your wellbeing.

Amateur wildlife photographer and Butterfly Conservation’s social media expert Andrew Cooper explains why respecting the environment is so important when you are out trying to capture that perfect picture.

Writer, Gardener and television presenter, Monty Don, has described using peat in your garden as an act of eco-vandalism. Read on to find out how and why you should garden without it…

Butterfly magazine editor Liam Creedon reveals how George Orwell, cannibalism, mad kings, theft and cigarettes make Hawk-moths the rock stars of UK mothing.

See the Secret Garden makeover. From paving to pollinator pots and bare earth to butterfly blooms.

Judging on behaviour alone it could be argued that the Duke of Burgundy doesn’t really deserve its aristocratic title. For despite its diminutive size, the Duke is something of a bar-room brawler, prone to outbursts of violence and lacking in the airs and graces its grand name would suggest.

Found caterpillars of the Brown-tail Moth? Know what to do if you see them!

Butterflies and moths lay their eggs where their offspring will have the best chance of survival. This usually means on the leaf of their foodplant, providing a ‘ready meal’ when they hatch. But there are always exceptions to the rule.

Nick Mann, founder of Habitat Aid, explains why the plants he sells are never grown in peat and why you should go peat-free in your garden.

The trip across to the Isle of Wight to help monitor the number of webs of the Glanville Fritillary is a real highlight of the year and helps to understand trends in the population size.

Discover how to make your garden more moth-friendly by providing night-time nectar.

Naturalist and presenter Nick Baker explains why the Emperor Moth is the true harbinger of spring.

Introducing Dr Katie Cruickshanks, Senior Data Ecologist at Butterfly Conservation who is currently undertaking a strategic review of our data, managing GIS data and support and delivering contract GIS analysis on butterfly and moth data for statutory agencies.

The High Brown Fritillary is undoubtedly the UK’s most threatened butterfly. It has declined in distribution by a staggering 96%, disappearing from most of England and Wales.

A recently completed research project led by Emily Dennis and Tom Brereton of Butterfly Conservation has used Rothamsted Insect Survey (RIS) and National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS) data to develop trends in the abundance and distribution (occupancy) of Scottish moths. 

The concept that moths pollinate some plants is not novel, with examples featuring in the writings of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.

The decline in European farmland biodiversity is well documented. The main driver of this decline is also well known: the intensification of agriculture that has taken place in recent decades.

Get your peat-free garden started by growing your own plants from seed.

Find out what moths you can spot in spring. 

In support of the Government's Year of Green Action and our #iwill4nature pledge, Butterfly Conservation are hoping to connect more young people than ever before with wildlife this year, teaching them about butterflies and moths and inspiring them to take part in social action to improve the natural environment.

Meet our newest volunteer: 16-year-old Anabel Boakes from Dorset...

A report warning that plummeting insect numbers threatens the collapse of nature is a stark reminder that we must all play our part in trying to slow the assault on the natural world.

Snowdrops are one of the earliest spring bulbs to bloom, providing a useful source of nectar for bees and butterflies such as the Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone.

It is resolution time again so why not choose to help butterflies and moths in your garden this year? Here are five suggestions for activities to engage your brain and body.

Butterfly Conservation's (BC) Senior Education Officer, Kate Merry, takes some time out to talk about BC's Munching Caterpillars project - what it has achieved so far and plans for the future... 

Talking about the weather has become more than idle chatter. The trends are hard to ignore and climate change is no longer the elephant in the room. But what does it mean for butterflies and moths?

How flowery is your garden looking now? There are still a few butterflies around such as the Red Admiral, so it’s useful to note if you have any nectar plants available for them.

From May to September around 90 volunteers across Wales report their sightings of Fritillary butterfly species. They are all compiled into a newsletter, fondly known as ‘Frits About’ which is now in its 11th year. You can find it via the Butterfly Conservation Wales web pages.

Rowan provides fuel for pollinating insects and is an important foodplant for several caterpillars