Butterflies

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In our area, the recent heatwaves seems to have been beneficial to them, as there seems far more flying around my garden area than normal. Have website members in other areas noticed a similarity?

 

[D6130]

In our area, the recent heatwaves seems to have been beneficial to them, as there seems far more flying around my garden area than normal. Have website members in other areas noticed a similarity?

Yes....the large Buddleia bush in our front garden in Calderdale is absolutely swarming with butterflies of several different species.

 

[jbqfc]

Yes but not just butterfly's but all types of insects my garden has been buzzing this year
The only exception is wasps not seen many at all

 

[D6130]

Yes but not just butterfly's but all types of insects my garden has been buzzing this year
The only exception is wasps not seen many at all

We've had more than our fair share of wasps too.

 

[ChrisC]

It has been very good to see so many butterflies around here these last few weeks and even more bees. Last year there was a complete absense of butterflies which was very worrying. I’ve never seen so many bees in my garden as there are this year.

 

[Cheshire Rover]

Yes, lot's more about this year. We've had a glut of cinabar moth larvae in the field behind work as well so I expect to see a lot of those soon.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Sunshine-y weather in Spring / early Summer this year, compared with the similar period last year? Butterfly bouncebackability?!

 

[The exile]

We've had more than our fair share of wasps too.

And in fact it’s quite early for wasps to be where we notice them!

 

[Harvester]

Our lavender, since coming into bloom, has been cloaked in bees over the last few weeks, mainly white-tailed bumblebees.

 

[Trackman]

For older members: Got the theme song stuck in my head now.

 

[DelW]

I've seen more dragonflies and damselflies this year than usual, too, and more widely distributed. There's a wetland nature reserve near me where they are normally numerous, but this year I've also seen them widely in the countryside not necessarily near to ponds or streams. Most seem to be a beautiful iridescent blue colour.

 

[Ken X]

We've been transiting down the Trent and Mersey Canal over the past two weeks. Loads of damselflies and dragonflies but wasps were everywhere. We seemed to see a nest every other lock landing and twice had to abandon a mooring because a nest became visible. Never seen so many of the sods. The only saving grace was they seemed dozy and easy to shoo out of the boat.

 

[Forty29]

It's swings and roundabouts seen lot's more butterflies this year, though wasps and damsel flies less so. Only seen 1 dragonfly this year and moths in small numbers.
Been stung twice by bee's this year, first since as a child. I'm 66!

 

[satisnek]

Yes, currently out and about on the boat and have definitely noticed a larger number of butterflies than previous years.

 

[Harvester]

Surprised nobody has mentioned that the annual ‘Big Butterfly Count’ is now underway, until 10th August. For anyone wishing to take part just google ‘Big Butterfly Count’ to get the website and instructions.

 

[dcbwhaley]

Surprised nobody has mentioned that the annual ‘Big Butterfly Count’ is now underway, until 10th August. For anyone wishing to take part just google ‘Big Butterfly Count’ to get the website and instructions.

I did the count on Saturday and saw only two large whites during the allotted 15 minutes.
In the subsequent hour I saw a dozen varied species

 

[SJL2020]

A great example of shifting baseline syndrome.

A single good year doesn't mean that the overall trend in still downwards, thanks mainly to industrial farming plus the cultural obsession with 'neat and tidy' (gardens, road verges, etc).

 

[gg1]

I've noticed that in our garden too, though moth numbers seem to have gone in the opposite direction the past couple of years. While I'm happy to have less in the house, the downside is the local bat population has similarly declined (moths being a major part of their diet).

 

[Belperpete]

I did notice an increase in wasp numbers earlier this year, but they seem to have dropped back. A couple of worrying nests are now showing no or minimal activity. I was wondering if perhaps the nests have grown too quickly, and over heated.

Buddleia and other things in full flower, but no sign of any butterflies. I can't remember the last time I saw one locally. It is quite concerning, they are surely at near extinction point.

 

[DelW]

Buddleia and other things in full flower, but no sign of any butterflies. I can't remember the last time I saw one locally. It is quite concerning, they are surely at near extinction point.

There must be a lot of local variation in populations. In south east England I've been seeing lots of dark coloured butterflies, mostly in brown, blue and purple colours. Now in mid - west Wales, there are lots of whites and very few dark coloured. But they seem to be more plentiful in both locations than most years - I've seen dozens, maybe up to a hundred or so (I wasn't counting) today alone.

 

[AndyPJG]

At our model engineering club at Thames Ditton, we've noticed plenty of butterflies this year, may be helped by the buddleia beating the brambles on the adjacent railway embankment. Very few wasps though , and not seen any bumblebees either.

 

[Iskra]

I saw loads recently while out hiking, I’ve never seen so many

 

[bearhugger]

I can't say I've noticed a difference in the amount of butterflies - seems to be about average.

Yes but not just butterfly's but all types of insects my garden has been buzzing this year

Last week was the first times in years that i've been bitten by an insect in the garden.

I've noticed that in our garden too, though moth numbers seem to have gone in the opposite direction the past couple of years. While I'm happy to have less in the house, the downside is the local bat population has similarly declined (moths being a major part of their diet).

There only seems to be one or maybe two bats flying around our back garden this year, slightly fewer than previous years yet we have two hedgehogs this year where we have seen the single one for 3/4 before.

 

[SJL2020]

The national picture for 2025 was revealed by figures published last week by Butterfly Conservation.

On average, participants recorded 10.3 butterflies during each 15-minute count. While a marked improvement on last summer’s record low of just 7.2, it is only broadly average by modern standards, and has done little to reverse longer-term declines.

https://butterfly-conservation.org/big-butterfly-count-results-2025