Join in the butterfly count

Next week, Butterfly Conservation wants everyone to pause for 15 minutes to count the butterflies they can see from a fixed position, whether they are in a park, garden, field or forest, and preferably in sunshine.

The aim of Save Our Butterflies Week (July 24-August 1) is to get a picture of butterflies’ status in the International Year of Biodiversity they are important climate-change indicators and many species are known to be declining and the organisation would like to hear from you even if you don’t see any butterflies.

Recent significant sightings include the rare Sussex emerald moth in Deal, Kent-previously, it had only been seen at Dungeness-and a little thorn moth in Battle Great Wood, East Sussex, where it was thought to be extinct.

For an identification chart and further details, visit www.bigbutterflycount.org