Sir David Attenborough is urging people to take part in the annual ‘Big Butterfly Count’, the largest event of its kind in the world.
The three-week event is crucial to monitor nationwide butterfly levels.
The 92-year-old veteran broadcaster also said spending time outside to count the insects will help people escape the pressures of modern life by providing ‘precious breathing space’.
The summer heatwave hitting the UK at the moment has provided some of the best conditions for butterflies in decades.
However, experts have warned that should the warm weather turn into a drought, plants will wither and caterpillars will starve — causing chaos for the insects.
Sir David Attenborough is urging people to take part in the Big Butterfly Count. The broadcasting icon claims spending time in the great outdoors allows people to escape the pressures of modern life by providing ‘precious breathing space’
The Big Butterfly Count starts today and will take place over the next three weeks.
Experts claim the benefits of the study are two-fold and benefit both the butterflies and the volunteers counting them.
Primarily, the count is designed to assess the success of butterfly populations across the UK, however, it is also hoped the project will improve the mental health of those involved in the count.
The summer heatwave experienced throughout the UK has provided some of the best conditions for butterflies in decades and the common blue butterflies (pictured) could also see bumper numbers in the annual Big Butterfly Count
Research has found that mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can be alleviated by spending time in nature.
This year has seen the UK experience the ideal combination of a cold winter and a settled late spring and summer, enabling spring butterfly populations to thrive.
The annual count could record a bumper year for species such as holly blue, common white, common blue, and red admirals.
But the ongoing hot, dry conditions nationwide could mean plants wither away and the next generation of caterpillars cannot find the food they need to survive.
Populations of butterflies collapsed as a result of the 1976 drought for this reason, wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation cautioned.
The Big Butterfly Count, organised by Butterfly Conservation and sponsored by B&Q, asks people to spot and record 17 species of common butterflies as well as two day-flying moths during three weeks at the height of summer.
Mental health charity Mind is supporting the Big Butterfly Count as a ‘wonderful way of interacting with the environment’ and championing the benefits of spending time in nature.
Butterfly Conservation president and veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has spoken of the mental health benefits of spending time in nature, even at home watching garden wildlife.
‘I have been privileged to have witnessed some truly breath-taking wildlife spectacles in far-flung locations but some of my most memorable experiences have happened when I’ve been simply sitting and watching the wildlife that lives where I do,’ he said.
‘A few precious moments spent watching a stunning red admiral or peacock butterfly feeding amongst the flowers in my garden never fails to bring me great pleasure.
People are asked to spot 17 common butterflies and two day-flying moths in the Big Butterfly Count. The Big Butterfly Count involves spending 15 minutes in a sunny spot counting butterflies and submitting sightings online
‘Spending time with nature offers us all precious breathing space away from the stresses and strains of modern life, it enables us to experience joy and wonder, to slow down and to appreciate the wildlife that lives side by side with us.’
Sir David also said the Big Butterfly Count, which involves spending 15 minutes in a sunny spot counting butterflies and submitting sightings online, can help gather vital information that may help protect them in the future.
More than three-quarters of the UK’s butterflies have declined in the last 40 years, with some common species, such as the small tortoiseshell, suffering significant slumps.
Sir David said: ‘A cause for great concern over recent years is that many of our once common and widespread species like the large white, small copper and gatekeeper have started to struggle, mirroring the declines of rarer species.
‘Butterfly Conservation has also revealed that butterflies are declining faster in our towns and cities than in the countryside.
‘So please take part in the Big Butterfly Count this summer, we need to know, now, more than ever before, just what is happening to butterflies in our towns, in our gardens and in our countryside.’