A NATURE organisation is asking for people to take part in its citizen science project which starts this month.

The Big Butterfly Count provides the largest study of butterflies and over 170,000 people have participated since it began in 2010. It takes just 15 minutes to take part.

45 of the 59 butterfly species in the UK are found in Wiltshire.  

Wiltshire butterfly recorder Mike Fuller said: "Although butterflies in Wilshire show a similar decline to the rest of the UK, we are very spoiled here because we have so much unspoilt habitat which has never been ploughed or sprayed - such as Salisbury Plain.”

Salisbury Journal: Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary_Iain H Leach (1a)Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary_Iain H Leach (1a)

Butterfly numbers have been in decline since 1976 so understanding and monitoring their numbers is important as they are indicators for biodiversity.

When numbers fail, scientists know that nature is in trouble.

The Butterfly Conservation Organisation states that by counting butterflies, people are recording the pulse of nature, helping to identify important trends.

In 2020, Wiltshire residents counted a record 13,968 butterflies and the results this year will enable nature conservation organisations to protect vital species from extinction.   

The Big Butterfly Count starts today, July 15, and runs until August 7.  Sign up on the event website.

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