We've not made a big song and dance about it, but throughout this past year we've donated funds to support @europebutterfly.bsky.social's invaluable work after every single butterfly tour we've run. We were the first wildlife tour company to commit to do so, and we're with them going forwards.

The European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme is growing fast thanks to some funding from the EU. We now have transects in nearly every European country. This is a powerful dataset to assess the health of our environment and improve biodiversity conservation

1. Some good news at last. This week’s column is about the amazing thing a couple of us stumbled into three years ago, which we’ve now developed into a global research programme. It doesn’t change everything, of course, but it could help change quite a lot. + 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Sunday book review: The Birds of Bedfordshire by Tony Ploszajski Review: markavery.info/2025/11/09/s... Publisher: Beds Nat Hist Soc 'Excellent' The last Northants avifauna is 130 years out of date... #bedfordshire #birds @wildlifebcn.org #Sandy #TheLodge @rspb.bsky.social @steveblain.bsky.social

We have added two new pages to our website: habitat management principles for butterflies (and other pollinators) and causes of decline. Check them out here www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

We're thrilled to share this film featuring some of the dedicated volunteers who monitor butterflies for the UKBMS A huge thank you to them, and everyone who's supported the scheme over the last 50 years. #UKBMS50 youtu.be/OrF5AgseX1U?...

The Hon Mr Justice Fordham has released his written judgement about why he dismissed Natural England's attempt to increase our costs cap for our legal challenge against Badger cull licences 🦡⚖️ A v important judgement for all environmental groups! Details 🔽 wildjustice.org.uk/badgers/high...

The new European Butterfly Red List is published today, with worrying findings. Over 1/4 (28%) of Europe’s 442 species are threatened with extinction or are close to being so. The situation is far worse for our 148 endemic species, 40% are now threatened or nearly so www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

Fade to grey: as forests are cut down, butterflies are losing their colours

Check out our new website, packed with new features, including updated project and EU policy pages + butterfly species pages with all known hostplants courtesy of Harry Clarke and downloadable country lists. Big thanks to Peter Eeles @ukbutterflies.bsky.social for all his help www.bc-europe.eu

BBC News - Rare butterfly spotted near Newcastle for first time since 1850 - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

You can be part of the solution 🤝 Find out more about the Declaration on our website: www.bumblebeeconservation.org/news/declara... 📢 Please share this thread to help build momentum! 5/5

A warm welcome to the Pollinator Academy which is hosting all types of training materials to learn about European pollinators, including our training materials to identify and monitor European butterflies

Disease-resilient trees improve butterfly habitats www.bbc.com/news/article...

Happily Northants and Beds branch @savebutterflies.bsky.social have liased with the landowner of the Herbal Ley at Old and now it won't be cut until the butterflies have completed this life cycle. And some will be left uncut as an extra insurance. :-).

BBC News - Butterfly from Southern Europe spotted in UK for first time - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Monarch butterflies’ mass die off in 2024 caused by pesticide exposure – study

Did u know? Another excellent plant to have for small souls is Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare).Pollinators love the composite flowers, so they don't have to travel far to get lots of forage & apparently, it has the best quality nectar of any plant in the UK. A real win-win then..Go, grow! 🌿🌱🇬🇧🌱🌍🐝🪲🪰🦋

No more Beewashing please! Why beekeeping doesn't help conserve bees. Pls RT if you agree. youtu.be/fiBYBmlKSYU

Some tips on how to make your garden more butterfly-friendly: youtu.be/zNrB8xr_yA4

Chalkhill Blues were the most abundant butterfly at Sharpenhoe today but there were still a few Dark Green Fritillaries around. The flowers, specially the Marjoram, were beautiful & I always love the Woolly Thistles @savebutterflies.bsky.social @midsandeastnt.bsky.social

Some years we might get 1 or 2 Brown Argus in our garden but this exceptional year we’re seeing about 8 or 10 on one of our Marjoram plants which is also very popular with the Gatekeepers & many other pollinators @savebutterflies.bsky.social

The Mullein plants in our garden are absolutely covered in insects - hoverflies, ladybirds, wasps & bugs - but they’re not taking pollen or nectar as far as I can see - does anyone know what they’re feeding on? The flowers have gone over for the day. @willgeorge.bsky.social

Lots of butterflies at Tilwick Meadows, Bedfordshire, including large numbers of fresh Peacocks, a few fresh Brimstones & 3 Painted Ladies. Only a few Marbled Whites but lots of Meadow Browns & this lovely Elecampane flower which comes up every year. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

End of our week in Serbia with @mariposanature.bsky.social - beautiful meadows, streams & woodland tracks in Stara Planina national park. Stunning Lizard Orchid today & lots of flowers for the insects. Traditional agriculture good for butterflies but lots of rural abandonment.

Last day of @mariposanature.bsky.social Serbian trip with stunning scenery & yet more butterflies - hard to choose but here are Blue-spot Hairstreak, Delattin’s Grayling, the rare Spinose Skipper & Ripart’s Anomalous Blue. Thanks to @selbypaul.bsky.social, Janos & Zsolt for a great trip.

5th day of the @mariposanature.bsky.social Serbia tour & the species keep coming - the biggie today was Poplar Admiral but also new were Yellow Banded Skipper (which I like as it’s easy to ID), Turquoise Blue & Great Sooty Satyr. Another great day!

Day 5 (yesterday) of the @mariposanature.bsky.social holiday to Serbia was all about getting up close with some of the species. Chequered Blue, Lesser Purple Emperor & Sooty Copper were my favourites!

4th day of our Serbian trip with @mariposanature.bsky.social - last night’s storm freshened everything & provided puddling for the butterflies. Highlights along the lovely river path were Apollo, Chequered Blue, Map & even better views of this Lesser Purple Emperor which became very friendly!

Postcard from the field today from tour leader @selbypaul.bsky.social, leading our False Comma & Summer Butterflies of Serbia tour: One of the really rare, hard to see European butterfly species was seen well by our guests today as our inaugural Serbian tour went from strength to strength.

Postcard from the field from tour leader @selbypaul.bsky.social, leading our False Comma & Summer Butterflies of Serbia tour this week: After just two days in the field, our group have already enjoyed 102 species, including a great many specialities of the region.

3rd day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia ended on a high note with the very rare Lesser Lattice Brown found in oak trees by our guide, Janos. Also Violet Copper, Russian Heath & Bright-eyed Ringlet. We’re up to 114 species today!

2nd full day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia with very brief views of False Comma sailing past & now up to a total of 102 butterflies. Highlights were Balkan Copper, Hungarian Glider, very fresh Arran Brown & stunning Lesser Purple Emperor which landed at my feet!

First day of @mariposanature.bsky.social trip to Serbia with 70 species including several of our targets - Freyer’s Fritillary, Large Chequered Skipper, Southern White Admiral & lots of Scarce Swallowtails puddling.

Meanwhile, in the Balkans, our False Comma & Summer Butterflies of Serbia tour got off to a flying start today with a big target seen well - Freyer's Fritillary (Melitaea arduinna). youtu.be/2uotl8bCeG0

We set off early for our annual trip to West Wood, Bedfordshire, to beat the heat. So many Ringlets & Meadow Browns plus a few Commas & Silver-washed Fritillaries & about 4 of our target species White Admirals looking very fresh. Plus a bonus Marbled White! @savebutterflies.bsky.social

This #30DaysWild, take a moment to pause, breathe & let the wild world ground you. Whether it's a walk, forest bathing, or listening to birdsong—nature is here to help us feel better 💚 👂Have you heard our new podcast, In Conservation...? Listen here 👉 www.wildlifebcn.org/get-involved/podcast

Lots going on in the garden at the moment: Toadflax Brocade moth caterpillars nearly ready to pupate, Brimstone pupa which we covered with a sleeve, Large White caterpillars parasitised by Cotesia granulata (ghastly!) & a newly hatched Ladybird getting its spots. @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Transect today at Priory CP - 2 Small Tortoiseshells, several Meadow Browns, a Red Admiral egg-laying & 13 Commas, some of them courting including a really dark one @ukbms.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

This chart of the results of systematic timed counts at @wildlifebcn.org Brampton Wood shows just what an extraordinary year it has been for Black Hairstreak (Figure courtesy of Vince Lea) @davebjames.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social

Yesterday we went in search of Silver-studded Blues on the pebble bed heaths near Budleigh in Devon - only found one but several Green Hairstreaks were still on the wing @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social

Visit to Aish Tor on Dartmoor to see the fritillaries which didn’t disappoint, though it was difficult to tell the High Browns from the Dark Greens - had to be patient to get underwing photos. Also saw a Small White & a few Brimstones. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social

Arable land has been flattened by history of ploughing. In restoring such sites it is important to introduce variation. Here I look at butterfly banks and enthuse over the experimental testing. youtu.be/5kgAXVFo610?...

It's June. Mind the Gap butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blo...

Trip to Duddon Mosses in the South Lakes was very successful as we saw about 12 Large Heath, a lifer for us. We hadn’t expected to see them on this trip as they’re out very early. Also Green Hairstreaks & a Small Tortoiseshell @savebutterflies.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social

Another fantastic day for a walk around Langdale - oak woods full of singing birds like Redstarts, Wood Warblers & Pied Flycatchers. The Dipper in the stream was preening itself. Also found some more Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries & this fantastic click beetle. @lakedistrictnpa.bsky.social