The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, run by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, has developed a new Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey (WCBS) method to gauge the changing abundance of widespread species in the general countryside.
How to get involved
The method involves making a minimum of two visits to a randomly selected square near between May and August to count butterflies along two 1km survey lines running roughly north-south through the square. The survey will be co-ordinated centrally by Butterfly Conservation but with the help of a WCBS Champion in each Branch. The aim for 2015 is to resurvey all squares covered last year and more, so if you would like to take part please get in touch.
Visit the UKBMS website for more details and copies of instructions and recording forms.