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' Almost every species of butterfly is in decline and a quarter are facing extinction. We have lost more than 97% 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; you will be surprised to find out what is on your doorstep! 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.

Your Guide to the Website

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  • 1 July National Meadows Day is Saturday 4th July and celebrations are virtual. Join Plantlife this Friday at 5.30pm over Zoom to discuss the value and vulnerability of meadows and species-rich grassland in the UK. We see how they are being restored by farmers, landowners and communities with passion and creativity. This webinar will be chaired by Phoebe Weston, biodiversity reporter for The Guardian. See opposite for sign up

  • 23rd June Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL)a coalition 58 organisations including Butterfly Conservation call for a National Nature Service as part of the forthcoming budget and post coronavirus green recovery plan. Similar in scope to Roosevelts 'Conservation Corps' of the great depression before WW2 which build the US national parks and planted 3.5 billion trees, it will create tens of thousands of jobs, improve the health of nature, people and the planet, and contribute to a green, sustainable recovery. Please show your support for the National Nature Service by signing the public Declaration and join us at the #TheTimeIsNow virtual lobby of Parliament on 30 June.

  • 22nd June The Big Butterfly Count starts Friday 17th July and runs until Sunday 9th August. The Website opens on July 1st to download forms and app.

  • 20th June Rosalind Forbes Adams transformed a 25-acre barley field into a beautiful woodmeadow, enjoyed by a wide variety of wildlife and the local community. Be inspired see how and why she did it and its effect on the local community

  • 17th June What is the most species recorded in one day on foot in Yorkshire asks Jon Hogg? (A Car only to be used for travel to start/end point). The challenge is When and Where and Route? Your suggestions to webmaster

  • 15th June His Imperial Majesty sets Yorkshire a Challenge. " Find me - I'm here!" In the last sentance of the last chapter of Matthew Oates book 'His Imperial Majesty a natural history of the purple emperor' he says: "The purple emperor is now rumoured to occur in woods around Maltby - in which case the white rose is now purple". We know its only time with the rapid spread of this species so Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire is offering a prize for the first ratified sighting. The butterfly has started its emergence in the last 2 days. The prize will be announced here shortly. Get into the woods and look up!

Welcome to the New Website

It might have a new look bringing together all our social media as a 1 stop shop but we have included as much as possible of the old site so lovingly created and maintained by Jax Westmoreland and we thank her for her many years service. Its a legacy we treasure and we wish her well as Nick Hall takes on the role of webmaster. Our objective with creating the new site was that it should be dynamic with fresh content every time you visit as well visual and interactive. We wish to make our Yorkshire butterflies more accessible with our 'Sites' section with an interactive map and walks. We want to tell you more about what we do and about the 100's of volunteers that help on work parties, recording and transects. There is likely much we have missed and many errors so please do flag them. Coming soon: Where, When and How for finding each of our species with fieldcraft tips along with identification guides, the Top 50 sites to visit in Yorkshire and a guide to our Day flying moths. Please do make suggestions or even a contribution and let me know what you think of the new website. webmaster@yorkshirebutterflies.org.uk