Overview

• The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme confirms that for the first time, over half of the UK's butterfly species are in long-term decline.
• 2024 saw widespread population drops, with 51 of 59 species declining compared to 2023, marking the fifth worst year since records began.
• Key species, including the small tortoiseshell, chalk hill blue, and small copper, experienced their worst year on record in 2024.
• Human activities such as habitat destruction, pesticide use, and climate change are identified as primary drivers of the declines.
• Conservationists urge individuals and councils to create wild habitats, including letting grass grow from April to September, to support butterfly recovery.