Residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being asked to record butterflies this summer.
The Big Butterfly Count runs until Sunday 9 August, inviting people to spend 15 minutes in a sunny garden, park, green space or wildlife site identifying common butterflies and day-flying moths before submitting their sightings online or through the free app.
Local locations include Canford Heath, where Silver-studded Blues can be seen, Stour Valley Water Meadows, Corfe Hills North and Bourne Valley, while Peacock and Painted Lady butterflies may also appear in Bournemouth’s gardens, grassy areas and along the seafront.
Butterfly Conservation says the findings help scientists understand where species are “thriving, struggling, or shifting”, with 80% of UK butterfly species declining over the past 50 years because of habitat loss, pollution and climate change.
Councillor Andy Hadley said every 15-minute count helps create “a clearer picture” locally and nationally, while Kate Merry from Butterfly Conservation said reports from gardens and green spaces are needed to show how butterflies have responded to the dry spring and hot summer.
