Welcome to the Yorkshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation  

Butterflies are not only beautiful and fascinating creatures but are also highly responsive to the environment. David Attenborough described them as  'A thermometer of the health of our natural world'  Many species of butterfly are in decline and a quarter are facing extinction.  We have lost more than 98% of our traditional meadows and woodland in recent times so it is crucial  we raise awareness about the threats facing our butterflies, moths, their habitats and our natural environment.  Yorkshire Branch  work in partnership with land owners, local authorities, conservation bodies, businesses and the local community to achieve this. Here in Yorkshire  the Duke of Burgundy and Pearl Bordered  Fritillary are particularly vulnerable due to habitat loss and increasingly susceptible to extinction. Yorkshire also has the only remaining colony of the  Dark Bordered Beauty Moth in England, on Strensall Common and is on the brink of extinction.  

Become a member today and help us save butterflies, moths and their habitats. There are many rewarding roles volunteering in recording and conservation just take a look at our Branch leaflet HERE . We have a real challenge when 60% of children in the UK have never seen a Peacock butterfly according to a YouGov Survey and  78% of parents are concerned that children don’t spend enough time interacting with nature.  Founded in 1981 Yorkshire branch has more than 1800 members and nearly 100 transect walkers go out each week in summer  to monitor  butterfly sites across the county while dozens more join work parties to maintain habitat for our rarest species.

Your Guide to the Website

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First Sightings 2023

First sightings comparison

 We are on the TELLY!  The wonderful late Susan Stead and our Nick Hall talk to Michael Portillo for The BBC’s Great British Railway Journeys. at Shipley Meadow + Denso Marston NR episode no 5 in series 14  released on iplayer HERE 

News 

14th March:  A recording  of Butterfly Transect Walkers meetup 2024 is now available. We take a closer look at what could have been so easily a record breaking year and for half the county and species it was! But there are always losers after the heat and drought of 2022. Join us and the YWT team introducing our new sites and walkers

13th March If you would like to help out at the next Duke of Burgundy Work party in the Hawnby Area its this weekend.  Please contact Dave O'Brien directly at dobrien66@virginmedia.com 

3rd March The National Butterfly recorders meeting is on the 23rd of March  10am This year it is on zoom and you need to register HERE

1st March  New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide good homes for bees and butterflies.  3 out of 15 solar parks  held threaten butterfly species. According Professor Alona Armstrong of Lancaster University and Principal Investigator of the study, said: “This is the first time that pollinators have been systematically and repeatedly surveyed on solar parks across the UK “This  work adds to the evidence showing that solar parks, while helping to meet the UK’s renewable energy goals, and if managed correctly, also have the potential to support insect biodiversity.”  see HERE

22nd Feb Butterfly Conservation are running a Free, Online Talk Series ‘Moth Identification Tips’ - focusing on commonly misidentified moth species, presented by Phil Sterling on Wed 28th Feb, 6th Mar and 13th Mar take a look HERE 

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