Nominate your best butterfly to help group find nation’s favourite flutterer

PEOPLE are being urged to nominate their favourite butterfly by a group tasked with safeguarding the insects’ future, writes Stan Mills.

The survey is being carried out by Butterfly Conservation and people can respond until June 7.

People are being asked to choose the butterfly they love most – whether common garden visitors such as the red admiral or holly blue or rarities such as the duke of Burgundy or the mighty purple emperor.

The charity hopes to reconnect people with nature this summer and ensure everybody witnesses the elegance butterflies possess.

Butterfly Conservation has launched a website featuring fun facts, a place for people to vote and even a ‘what’s your butterfly personality’ quiz, to help crown Britain’s best.

Julie Wiliams, chief executive of Butterfly Conservation, said: “It’s clear Britain is a nation of butterfly lovers. From Sir David Attenborough and the Royal family to the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, these incredible insects hold a very special place in our hearts.”

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Julie expressed the love people have for butterflies, with a recent survey showing them the most-loved creatures during childhood.

She added: “It’s no surprise butterflies are loved by people of all ages. Their journey from caterpillar to adult is both fascinating and joyful.

“It is through this almost magical story of transformation that butterflies have the power to connect people to the natural world and inspire us to keep fighting for a wilder future.”

Statistics show butterflies are in trouble, with 80 per cent of species having declined in the last 50 years due to habitat loss, changes in land use and climate breakdown.

Recent scientific evidence has proven butterflies not only benefit mental wellbeing but that watching butterflies for just 15 minutes can increase feelings and connection to nature. That has a direct correlation with how motivated people are to protect and preserve the insects.

Butterfly Conservation presiden Sir David famously said: “No one will protect what they don’t care about and no one will care about what they have never experienced.

“A few precious moments spent watching a stunning red admiral or peacock butterfly feeding amongst the flowers in my garden never fails to bring me great pleasure.”

With different species occurring inthe UK, the search for Britain’s favourite will prove fascinating, with big regional variations expected.

From 50 years of data, researchers have discovered a clear northward spread for some common garden species, including the peacock, comma and holly blue, the result of climate change resulting in warmer habitats for them to survive in.

Julie said: “It will be interesting to see if people in different parts of the UK have different favourites. Some of our native butterflies are garden visitors across much of the UK, some live only in certain areas and some are more secretive, living in remote, specialised habitats.

“But all are equally important as indicators of the health of our natural environment.

“The exciting thing about this vote is that anyone, anywhere can take part and root for their favourite.

“You don’t have to know anything about butterflies.

“So whether you choose based on a lovely colour, a fun name, what you spot in your garden or your fondness for a specialist species, it’s what’s important to you that matters.”

People can visit britains favouritebutterfly.co.uk for more on butterflies and to have their say on their favourite before the June 7 deadline.

The results will be announced at the end of June.