Butterfly count citizen science any time

🦋 Take Part in the Big Butterfly Count!

Butterflies are important indicators of the health of our environment, and you can help by taking part in the UK’s biggest citizen science butterfly survey.

Between Friday 17 July and Sunday 9 August, spend just 15 minutes in your local park, garden, Tiny Forest or other green space counting the butterflies (and day-flying moths) you see.

How to complete this Community Mission

1. Sign up for this GoodGym Community Mission.
2. Spend 15 minutes counting butterflies in one location.
3. Record your sightings using the free Big Butterfly Count app or website.
4. Return to GoodGym and mark your mission as complete.

Every count helps Butterfly Conservation monitor butterfly populations and understand how our changing environment is affecting wildlife. It’s a simple way to enjoy the outdoors, contribute to real scientific research and support nature in your local community.

Register your sightings here: https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org

When: 📅 17 July – 9 August 2026 ⏱️ Survey time: 15 minutes (choose any suitable day and time during the survey period, ideally in warm, dry, sunny weather).

Please report back!

I’d love to hear how you got on so I can write a GoodGym report celebrating everyone’s efforts.

If you can, please include:

• 🦋 A photo or two from your count.
• 🌼 Any unusual or interesting butterfly sightings.
• 😊 A sentence or two about how you found the activity. Did spending 15 minutes looking closely at nature change the way you felt? Did you notice anything unexpected?

Your feedback and photos will help inspire more GoodGymers to get involved in future citizen science projects. Thank you for helping both wildlife and the GoodGym community!