Blog

275 years of moth recording in one publication.

What to do with a butterfly you find in your house, home, garage or shed.

Find out how a group of nature enthusiasts can be developed into a skilled, effective and supportive team of butterfly recorders.

The State of Nature 2019 report has recently been published by a partnership consisting of more than 50 organisations drawn from conservation NGOs, research institutes and UK and national governments working together to provide an up to date assessment of the state of the UK’s wildlife across land and sea.

One of the things I enjoy most about our Back from the Brink project is its variety. Not just the variety of species that we are working to protect, but also the variety of activities that we get to do in order to achieve these aims. After another busy year it seems like a good time to reflect on some of the highlights over the past 12 months.

Trick-or-Treat? Discover 10 Magical Moths for Halloween.

Prof. Tom Brereton and Dr Emily Dennis discuss the value of producing biodiversity indicators from butterfly and moth data

Unusual traits have been found in Grayling butterflies in North Wales and a new study looks at how life cycles are affected by environmental factors.

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

The natural variability of insect populations is causes problems for Red List categories

Dr Nigel Bourn introduces a new model that could improve monitoring of the Chequered Skipper in Scotland.

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.

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.

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.

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