The Big Butterfly Count Celebrates 50 Years

18 Jul

This year marks a golden milestone for butterfly conservation in the UK, as the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) celebrates its 50th anniversary. Here on Hampstead Heath, our commitment to this vital national effort dates back almost to the very beginning, with 48 years of continuous butterfly monitoring since 1977, making the Heath a crucial partner in understanding the ecological health of some of London's most valued green spaces.

Dedicated Heath Hands volunteers and City of London rangers walk three UKBMS transects (specific routes) once a week from April to September just to count butterflies. Why? Because butterflies (Lepidoptera) are like tiny, beautiful barometers for the environment. Their presence and numbers provide invaluable insights into the overall health of the Heath, which helps to directly inform habitat conservation management.

You can delve deeper into our latest monitoring reports on butterflies and other species by visiting our ecology page.

Butterflies everywhere!

Have you noticed a proliferation of butterflies this year? We certainly have at Heath Hands. While 2024 saw one of the worst years on record for UK butterflies, we are cautiously optimistic that 2025 will be a good year for butterflies, though continued monitoring is essential to confirm this – which is where you come in!

To celebrate 50 years of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) and as part of the annual Big Butterfly Count, Heath Hands is hosting a special butterfly walk this summer on Saturday, July 26th. This free guided walk is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the Heath’s abundant butterflies - and it’s free! Book on here for more details.

The Big Butterfly Count itself runs from Friday, July 18th, to Sunday, August 10th, and it's the world's largest butterfly survey. Anyone can take part! Simply spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot – your garden, a local park, or even one of our new wildflower meadows Hampstead Heath – counting the butterflies and day-flying moths you see.

Just download an ID chart from the Butterfly Conservation’s website, record your sightings, and submit your data online, or you can come to find us at our Dairy open days on 20th and 26th July to find out more and pick up a Big Butterfly Count sheet. If you’d rather just use your phone, you can also download a free app via the Butterfly Conservation website.

Your participation is incredibly valuable! It helps provide an early warning system for species in decline and offers vital insights into how climate change affects our precious wildlife. So, whether you join the Heath Hands walk or take part in the Big Butterfly Count on your own, your 15 minutes can truly make a significant difference for the future of UK butterflies.

If you’d like to support the conservation work of Heath Hands, including our butterfly monitors, click here.