Butterflies can provide a fleeting moment of beauty as they flutter by in the garden, or even as you go about life in the city, but they are also a key indicator of the way our climate is changing.
This weekend sees the start of the annual Big Butterfly Count, organised by Butterfly Conservation, which asks people to spot and record 17 species of common butterflies and two day-flying moths during three weeks of high summer.
The idea is to spend 15 minutes recording the species you see where you are. We’d like to hear about the butterflies that you spot too – and we’d also like to see photographs, if you’relucky enough to capture them. Whether a smudge of citrus from a yellow-winged Brimstone catches your eye or red admirals that are common visitors to a wildlife area near you cross your camera’s lens, we’re looking forward to seeing the result. Even if you aren’t confident identifying each species, please share your images below and tell us where and when you spotted them.
How to contribute
Share your photographs, and tell us a little bit about them, using the form below. It would be useful to know where and when the photograph was taken, and if you can identify the species all the better, but we’re not expecting you to be an expert. We’ll publish a gallery of some of our favourite pictures in the coming days.
If you’re having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here.
