The butterfly conservation people are again appealing for help in the Big Butterfly Count.  This year, it runs from today,  Saturday 19 July up until  Sunday 10 August.  Taking part is simple, records are welcome from anywhere. Recordings from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields, woodlands and forests are valuable - they all help to build a picture of butterfly (and moth) populations.  So select a sunny spot and then record which of the 21 common species (that they are monitoring) that you see.

If you have a smart phone, there is an app available from the app store or google play.   This has help on identifying the butterflies that you spot, plus you can also record them there and then.

Alternatively you can go online to Butterfly Conservation and download an identification chart (n.b. link downloads the identification chart pdf)  to take with you when out and about.  Then, note down which of the 21 species you see in your chosen area and later upload that information to the website .

Last year, over 46,000 people took part, counting 830,000 individual butterflies and day-flying moths,  thus helping build up an overall picture of butterfly populations across the U.K.   If you feel that can help - visit the Big Butterfly Count at http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/about