Somerset gets counting to help butterflies

THOUSANDS of volunteers across Somerset counted more than 62,000 butterflies and moths this summer - the highest total in years ~ but conservationists say the figures mask a worrying long-term trend.

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Between Thursday, July 18 and Sunday, August 10, a total of 3,485 people in Somerset took part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, spotting 62,501 butterflies and day-flying moths across the county. The most commonly seen species was the Large White.

Nationally, over 125,000 people took part in the UK-wide count - the highest turnout on record - logging around 1.7 million sightings. The top five most-spotted species were Large White, Small White, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral and Meadow Brown.