A wildlife charity is calling on people across Northern Ireland to take part in this year’s ‘Big Butterfly Count’ to help better understand how climate change is impacting butterfly migration.
Last year, more than 2,500 counts were conducted in the north, revealing that numbers of Holly Blue butterflies more than trebled and Red Admirals almost doubled.
Data has shown that butterflies are moving further north than ever as a result of climate change creating warmer habitats.
Butterfly Conservation is running its count again from July 12 to August 4 with people encouraged to spend just 15 minutes in a sunny spot outdoors and record any butterflies that they see.
Dr Zoë Randle from Butterfly Conservation said: “The Red Admiral, which was once a migratory species most commonly seen in southern England in the summer and then leaving for Europe in the winter, is now living in the UK all year round, resulting in a three-fold increase in their numbers”.
While some species which had previously been threatened with extinction are recovering, rising temperatures could have a devastating impact for others.
“Species that rely on particular habitats aren’t able to move as freely as our garden favourites,” she added.
“This means that if climate change continues, they could become trapped in isolated fragments of remaining habitat, unable to move and with their food plants at risk from adverse weather conditions, facing the very real threat of extinction.”
Supporters of the project include Butterfly Conservation president, Sir David Attenborough, who said: “Every single person taking part in the Big Butterfly Count helps to build a picture of how butterflies are faring and how we can best conserve them”.
For more information please visit the Big Butterfly Count’s website or download the free app.
