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The Abundance of Butterflies at LettsSafari
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Wildlife Photos

The Abundance of Butterflies at LettsSafari

LettsSafari parks are bucking the downward trend in the Big Butterfly Count

LettsGroup
Oct 7, 2022
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The Abundance of Butterflies at LettsSafari
www.plus.lettssafari.com

Despite a summer of glorious sunshine, fewer butterflies than ever were recorded in the world’s largest crowdsourced insect count. On average, fewer than nine butterflies per count were spotted in this summer’s Big Butterfly Count, the lowest in the 13 years of Butterfly Conservation’s popular summer recording scheme.


It is the third year in a row that the count has recorded its lowest-ever average abundance, a worrying sign that once-common flying insects are continuing to disappear from Britain. And yet at LettsSafari parks and gardens butterfly numbers continue to grow - with numerous species spotted including the rare fritillaries.

yellow and black butterfly on purple flower
Stunning plants, stunning butterfly

We take a look at some of the key habitats for butterflies - so we can all add to the next count:

Wild grasses

Rolling meadows, pastures and heathland provide the perfect habitat for wildflowers to thrive for butterflies and moths.

white and brown butterfly on brown plant
Give me wild grasses, giving me shelter…

Wetlands

Marshes, fens and bogs are home to a variety of plants suited to wetter conditions that some butterflies and moths thrive on. 

black and white butterfly perched on green plant
Liking it damp and dark

Woodland and scrub

Butterflies and moths are generally found within the open, sunny glades and rides of woods but some prefer the tree canopy. 

butterfly perching on plant
We’re not all about the wild flowers

Urban and industrial

Gardens are invaluable as nectar sources. And abandoned industrial areas are often overlooked habitats. Factors in the loss of butterflies in towns and cities include the popularity of plastic grass, the paving over of front gardens for parking spaces, “garden grabbing” by developers and rising levels of nitrates from traffic, which affect butterflies’ food plants. Perhaps we should all practice wildlife gardening.

LettsSafari +
Safari Garden Video Tour - Part 1
Watch now (4 min) | The video above takes you on a short tour of the lower rewilded gardens at Exeter’s Capability Brown gardens, a part of the LettsSafari Network of Parks. The lower gardens feature wild grasses and wild flowers surrounded by copses of magnolia, maple and willow trees. A new wetland area supports reeds and wild scrub…
Read more
7 months ago · 5 likes · LettsGroup

red and multicolored butterfly perch on yellow petaled flower
Gardens can get packed with plants for butterfly - if in doubt start with a butterfly bush!

yellow and black caterpillar on brown stem
Give me ragwort, I’ll give you a butterfly!

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Farmland and hedgerows

Farmland is a key habitat, particularly those farms with areas of species-rich grassland, hedgerows and field margins.

blue and white butterfly on pink flower
This my kinda farm!

And we can all build small hedgerows!

peacock butterfly perched on white flower
Why can’t these kinds of hedges be everywhere?

But, if we get it right this could be the future!

black and white butterfly perched on green leaf in close up photography during daytime
Get us ALL a flutter! This could be our future.

Did you know that you can donate a subscription to LettsSafari as well - making an even bigger climate difference.

Donate Subscriptions

Get more LettsSafari updates and wildlife photos from our twitter. And read all the latest posts at the LettsSafari + website.

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The Abundance of Butterflies at LettsSafari
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