This summer, over 3,400 volunteers in Somerset participated in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, tallying an impressive 62,501 butterflies and day-flying moths—the highest total recorded in recent years. The most frequently spotted species was the Large White, reflecting one of the count’s notable successes.
Nationally, the UK-wide event attracted more than 125,000 participants who reported approximately 1.7 million sightings, marking the largest turnout ever. The top five species nationally were Large White, Small White, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, and Meadow Brown.
In Somerset, the average butterflies and moths counted per survey rose to 11.3, a 35% increase from 2024, while the UK average climbed from 7 to 10.3. Although these figures indicate a rebound from last year’s record lows, experts caution that these numbers are only modest by modern standards and can be misleading.
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Dr Richard Fox, head of science at Butterfly Conservation, emphasized that the improved counts mostly reflect a bounce back from an exceptionally poor 2024. “It may feel like summer brought an abundance of butterflies, but this is largely because last year was so challenging,” he explained.
Long-term trends over the past 15 years reveal a more concerning picture: more than twice as many widespread butterfly species are in significant decline than are increasing. While some species enjoyed favourable conditions this summer, about one-third performed poorly even with beneficial weather.
Dr Fox highlighted key ongoing pressures including climate change, habitat loss, and pesticide exposure, all of which threaten butterfly populations. “Butterflies require not only good weather but also healthy habitats to thrive,” he said.
Among the year’s high performers were the Large White and Small White butterflies, both recording their best counts ever, alongside a record year for the Jersey Tiger moth. Conversely, species such as the Common Blue, Holly Blue, and Meadow Brown experienced some of their lowest numbers on record.
In response, Butterfly Conservation is intensifying its call to improve butterfly habitats and is advocating for an end to unregulated use of synthetic pesticides harmful to butterflies. The charity urges retailers to remove these chemicals from sale and is encouraging Somerset residents to support a petition demanding the removal of toxic pesticides for domestic use.
Looking ahead, next year’s Big Butterfly Count is scheduled to run from Thursday, July 17 to Saturday, August 9, 2026, continuing the vital monitoring of these treasured insects.