Essex Wildlife Trust urges people to record butterfly sightings

Andrew Armstrong spotted this comma butterfly at Belfairs Woods, Leigh-on-Sea

Nature lovers are being urged to record sightings of butterflies while out and about in Essex.

Butterfly Conservation said 80% of the UK's butterfly species have declined since the 1970s.

In response, Essex Wildlife Trust (EWT) said it started a scheme which aimed to record the county's butterfly numbers.

Since its launch four months ago, 200 people recorded 10,155 butterflies across Essex - exceeding the initial target of 2,000.

The results from 2023 showed the distributions of wall brown, silver-washed fritillary, white admiral and marbled white butterflies could have changed dramatically in the county in recent years. 

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The data will enable EWT to target specific areas for conservation to help various species recover and thrive.

Zoe Ringwood, head of conservation evidence at the trust, said butterfly levels indicated the health of the environment for wildlife.

"If there are good numbers of butterflies, we know that other insects, birds and mammals are doing well too," she added.

The latest Butterfly Seekers scheme will run from 1 March to 30 September.