Yesterday saw the start of the Big Butterfly Count. The count is organised by Butterfly Conservation to monitor butterfly numbers. Many species of butterfly have suffered over the last decade. But if we don’t put figures to the declines protection won’t be put in place.
Within my garden I will probably only see a handful of species. I see plenty of varieties of whites. However they don’t stop for photos much. The red admirals are more obliging.
Ringlets are common on my walks.
Speckled woods I see in my garden and out and about.
Small tortoiseshells are a less frequent visitor to my garden, but common enough in my area.
Then occasionally I’ll see a peacock.
On the Big Butterfly Count website there is an ID sheet to download to help support identification. I’ve printed and laminated an A3 one to go outside in my outdoor classroom near the bug hotel to encourage the children to keep their eyes out.
Sightings can be submitted on the website here. My garden has a few more butterfly attracting plants than last year, so we’ll see if I spot anything new this year.
Wild Parenting 
I am impressed that you are on speaking terms with so many butterflies. I’m trying to pay more attention to the few flutterers we see from our porch. We have a number of butterfly bushes in our garden, and the butterflies do hover over them.
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We are doing this too….such fun actually and we have seen quite a few!
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