Big Butterfly Count 2024 results reveal lowest numbers on record

Experts declare UK butterfly emergency

Charity Butterfly Conservation has declared a UK ‘butterfly emergency’, with the Big Butterfly Count 2024 showing a huge decline in numbers. Participants spotted just seven butterflies on average per 15-minute count, a fall of almost 50 per cent on last year’s average of 12, and the lowest in the survey’s 14-year history.

It was the worst summer in the count’s records for the Common Blue, Holly Blue, Green-veined White, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady and Scotch Argus. Most species (81 per cent) showed declines compared with 2023.

Just over 935,000 butterflies and day-flying moths were recorded from July 12 to August 4. This was down almost 600,000 on 2023’s total. Zero butterflies were recorded in 9,000 counts, the highest in the programme’s history. Now Butterfly Conservation has called on the government to act and ban toxic pesticides. An open letter has been sent to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is calling for a neonicotinoid ban, with no exceptions before it’s too late.

Big Butterfly Count 2024 citizen scientists

More than 85,000 citizen scientists took part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count this year, submitting 143,241 counts. This is equivalent to 35,810 hours, or four years’ worth of time spent counting, in gardens, parks, school grounds and the countryside.

Dr Richard Fox is Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation. He said: “The previous lowest average number of butterflies per count was nine in 2022. This latest figure is 22 per cent lower than that, which is very disturbing.

“Not just that, but a third of the species recorded have had their worst year on record. No species had their best. The results are in line with wider evidence that 2024 has been very poor for butterflies.

“Butterflies are a key indicator species. When they are in trouble, we know that the wider environment is in trouble too. Nature is sounding the alarm call. We must act now if we are to turn the tide on these rapid declines and protect species.

Contaminated nectar and plants

“When used on farmland, these chemicals make their way into the wild plants growing at field edges. Adult butterflies and moths drink contaminated nectar and caterpillars feed on contaminated plants. Many European countries have already banned these chemicals. It’s time for the UK to follow suit and put the natural world first. If we don’t act now, we will face extinction events never before seen in our lifetime.

“If every person who helped with the count signs our letter to the Government, we could prevent the real and pressing threat of species becoming extinct in our lifetime.”

To sign Butterfly Conservation’s letter asking the government to declare a ‘Nature Emergency’ and ban butterfly-killing neonicotinoid pesticides visit butterfly-conservation.org/emergency. Signing closes on Sunday October 13, 2024.  To find out more about Butterfly Conservation visit butterfly-conservation.org. 

Big Butterfly Count 2024 UK-wide results

2024: UK		Abundance	Average per count	% change from 2023	14-year trend (bold significant)
1	Gatekeeper	190,413	1.5	-18	-31.82
2	Meadow Brown	177,844	1.4	6	-15.41
3	Large White	138,424	1.1	-38	2.07
4	Small White	112,814	0.9	-46	-18.72
5	Peacock	50,847	0.4	-67	-30.39
6	Red Admiral	47,109	0.4	-82	28.10
7	Ringlet	44,278	0.3	85	-47.06
8	Speckled Wood	30,112	0.2	-2	-37.70
9	Comma	24,498	0.2	-52	-20.28
10	Green-veined White	18,951	0.1	-24	-65.01
11	Six-spot Burnet	18,102	0.1	88	–
12	Marbled White	17,922	0.1	101	-18.04
13	Small Copper	13,962	0.1	-30	48.05
14	Small Tortoiseshell	12,432	0.1	-74	-59.44
15	Common Blue	9,755	0.1	-69	-51.67
16	Brimstone	8,622	0.1	-53	-17.99
17	Holly Blue	7,090	0.1	-80	35.63
18	Painted Lady	4,170	0.03	-66	9.27
19	Silver Y	4,101	0.03	-30	–
20	Jersey Tiger	3,496	0.03	-29	–
21	Scotch Argus	499	0.004	-61	–
	TOTALS	935,441	7	-40

England results

BBC 2024: England		Abundance 2024	Ave per count	% change from 2023
1	Gatekeeper	183,797	1.55	-17
2	Meadow Brown	164,618	1.39	6
3	Large White	126,988	1.07	-40
4	Small White	102,159	0.86	-47
5	Peacock	49,622	0.42	-66
6	Red Admiral	44,813	0.38	-82
7	Ringlet	35,392	0.30	77
8	Speckled Wood	26,700	0.22	-1
9	Comma	23,687	0.20	-51
10	Marbled White	17,788	0.15	100
11	Green-veined White	15,440	0.13	-26
12	Six-spot Burnet	14,662	0.12	91
13	Small Copper	13,224	0.11	-28
14	Small Tortoiseshell	10,818	0.09	-72
15	Brimstone	8,496	0.07	-53
16	Common Blue	8,307	0.07	-71
17	Holly Blue	6,623	0.06	-80
18	Painted Lady	3,830	0.03	-66
19	Silver Y	3,585	0.03	-31
20	Jersey Tiger	3,448	0.03	-29
	Totals	863,997	7.28	-41

Big Butterfly Count 2024 Scotland results

BBC 2024: Scotland		Abundance	Average per count	% change from 2023
1	Ringlet	4,689	0.96	123
2	Small White	4,123	0.84	-29
3	Meadow Brown	3,778	0.77	28
4	Large White	3,299	0.68	-11
5	Green-veined White	1,850	0.38	-16
6	Speckled Wood	1,089	0.22	67
7	Common Blue	784	0.16	75
8	Small Tortoiseshell	688	0.14	-79
9	Red Admiral	609	0.12	-79
10	Six-spot Burnet	559	0.11	34
11	Scotch Argus	481	0.10	-64
12	Peacock	221	0.05	-94
13	Small Copper	169	0.03	-46
14	Silver Y	148	0.03	-18
15	Holly Blue	132	0.03	-42
16	Painted Lady	104	0.02	-62
17	Comma	95	0.02	-74
	Totals	22,818	4.67	-26

Wales results

BBC 2024: Wales		Abundance	Average per count	% change from 2023
1	Meadow Brown	8,113	1.43	-23
2	Large White	7,100	1.25	-28
3	Gatekeeper	6,042	1.06	-38
4	Small White	5,499	0.97	-38
5	Ringlet	3,185	0.56	121
6	Six-spot Burnet	2,488	0.44	178
7	Speckled Wood	1,810	0.32	-26
8	Red Admiral	1,276	0.22	-86
9	Green-veined White	1,031	0.18	-8
10	Peacock	902	0.16	-82
11	Comma	687	0.12	-71
12	Small Tortoiseshell	627	0.11	-78
13	Small Copper	469	0.08	-65
14	Common Blue	359	0.06	-82
15	Silver Y	286	0.05	-39
16	Holly Blue	214	0.04	-85
17	Painted Lady	166	0.03	-73
18	Marbled White	132	0.02	133
19	Brimstone	121	0.02	-39
20	Jersey Tiger	28	0.00	-47
	Totals	40,535	7.12	-42

Big Butterfly Count 2024 Northern Ireland results

BBC 2024: Northern Ireland		Abundance	Average per count	% change from 2023
1	Ringlet	982	0.77	225
2	Meadow Brown	929	0.73	100
3	Small White	781	0.61	-53
4	Large White	686	0.54	-41
5	Green-veined White	563	0.44	2
6	Six-spot Burnet	391	0.31	-2
7	Speckled Wood	297	0.23	-30
8	Small Tortoiseshell	264	0.21	-84
9	Common Blue	149	0.12	28
10	Red Admiral	55	0.04	-96
11	Peacock	45	0.04	-97
12	Small Copper	44	0.03	-72
13	Holly Blue	37	0.03	-86
14	Painted Lady	35	0.03	-79
15	Silver Y	27	0.02	-25
	Totals	5,285	4.16	-49

Isle of Man results

BBC 2024: Isle of Man		Abundance	Average per count	% change from 2023
1	Large White	70	1.01	38
2	Meadow Brown	63	0.91	-34
3	Small White	56	0.81	-41
4	Green-veined White	46	0.67	359
5	Silver Y	34	0.49	1937
6	Red Admiral	26	0.38	-79
7	Gatekeeper	25	0.36	542
8	Small Tortoiseshell	25	0.36	-76
9	Peacock	16	0.23	-75
10	Speckled Wood	16	0.23	-18
11	Painted Lady	10	0.14	38
12	Common Blue	6	0.09	-84
13	Comma	3	0.04	-87
14	Holly Blue	3	0.04	-73
15	Ringlet	3	0.04	-33
16	Small Copper	3	0.04	-61
17	Six-spot Burnet	1	0.01	80
18	Brimstone	0	0.00	-100
19	Marbled White	0	0.00	–
	Totals	406	5.88	-39

Big Butterfly Count 2024 Channel Islands results

BBC 2024: Channel Islands		Abundance	Average per count	% change from 2023
1	Gatekeeper	544	2.50	72
2	Meadow Brown	343	1.57	65
3	Red Admiral	330	1.51	-66
4	Large White	281	1.29	-24
5	Speckled Wood	200	0.92	40
6	Small White	196	0.90	-43
7	Common Blue	150	0.69	-2
8	Holly Blue	81	0.37	158
9	Small Copper	53	0.24	-16
10	Peacock	41	0.19	179
11	Ringlet	27	0.12	84
12	Comma	26	0.12	-11
13	Painted Lady	25	0.11	-34
14	Green-veined White	21	0.10	0
15	Silver Y	21	0.10	401
16	Jersey Tiger	20	0.09	-20
17	Small Tortoiseshell	10	0.05	-40
18	Brimstone	5	0.02	19
19	Marbled White	1	0.005	–
20	Six-spot Burnet	1	0.00	-76
	Totals	2,376	10.90	-14