Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count begins on July 15th and will run until August 10th. So far, over a million butterflies have been added to the count nationally. The Big Butterfly Count website has all the details you need, an identification chart and an interactive map where you can add your observations.
Despite over a million butterflies counted this year, there are no entries for Cowbar yet. We know there are plenty of butterflies thriving here, especially now that the thistles and knapweed are blooming, so let’s put our cliff top on the map!
How to Take Part:
Download the free app or use the official ID guide which you will find here.
Choose a spot and count for 15 minutes.
Submit your sightings via the app or website.
Every count matters! Let’s help protect our butterflies and moths — for now and for future generations.
Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire also has a splendid guide to the 39 butterfly species Yorkshire supports.
It would be great put our area on the map and help find out what is happening to butterfly numbers this year. A butterfly emergency was declared in 2024 following recorded numbers which were the lowest in the count’s history. Butterflies are struggling against climate breakdown, habitat loss and pesticides. The more we can find out about what’s happening, the more we can help to save them.
Read more about why the count is important here.
And here are just six of the butterflies spotted on Cowbar this summer:
