HOT SPRING AND SUMMER FAIL TO STEM BUTTERFLY DECLINE

Large whites top Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count results in 2025, but their success isn't shared by most UK species

- Sheena Harvey

The results of Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count 2025 are in, revealing the long-term forecast for the survival of many of our much-loved summer insects is still gloomy.

The sunniest spring and hottest summer ever recorded in the UK should have provided ideal conditions for butterflies and moths, but clement weather is only half the story. For successful breeding, unpolluted habitats are as crucial as warm, dry spells.

Butterflies are key indicators of biodiversity and environmental health. Tracking the numbers of butterflies nationwide helps Butterfly Conservation understand the impacts of climate change, habitat loss and any conservation action taken.

A total of nearly 1.7 million butterflies and moths were sighted during this year's Big Butterfly Count, with 125,000 citizen scientists (up from 85,000 in 2024) recording an average of 10.3 butterflies in every 15-minute session.