Butterfly surveys are an excellent way to gather information on the health and prevalence of butterfly species over time in certain areas.

Mountain Ringlet Survey 2011

Cumbria branch are organising a felltop survey for the Mountain Ringlet this summer. If you would like to get involved, or simply send in a sighting to the survey co-ordinators, please read & download one of the linked documents below.

The Information Sheet is designed for those people, perhaps visitors to the area, who would like to send in a casual sighting.

The Surveyors' Notes and Record Form are aimed at people who would like to get more involved with our structured survey.

Enjoy your days on the fells..!

Best wishes, Martin Tordoff & Steve Clarke, Survey co-ordinators.

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey

Many 'common' butterfly species have undergone serious declines and are in need of greater attention. The Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey (WCBS) organised by Butterfly Conservation, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is a new national survey of common and widespread butterfly species. The WCBS will enable us to more effectively monitor the changing abundance of these species in the general countryside. The survey will also help us to measure the future impacts of climate change on butterflies and assess whether environmental grants to farmers and woodland managers are helping to restore butterfly populations across the landscape.

A minimum of two visits per year to each square are required to take part in the survey. These should take place in July and August, with at least 10 days between the two visits.

To find out more or take part please contact Zoë Randle, Surveys Officer. Email: survey@butterfly-conservation.org, telephone: 01929 406006.

Please refer to the Newsletter for further details.