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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 12th July 2024
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Big Butterfly Count 2024 begins
Sir David Attenborough is among those urging the public to take part.
Public urged to help monitor butterfly numbers.

The public are being asked to take part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count to help scientists understand how climate change is affecting butterflies.

This year’s count is running from Friday, 12 July until Sunday, 4 August. To take part, participants need to spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot and record the number and type of butterflies and day-flying moths that they see. It is open to anyone in the UK.

The annual count is organised by the charity Butterfly Conservation and provides information that allows scientists to monitor butterfly populations.

Data from the last 50 years has shown that many species are spreading northward, including the peacock, comma, and holly blue. The changing climate is allowing them to survive in areas that would previously have been too cold.

However, the same trend is having a negative impact on the spread of species that prefer a cooler climate. The Scotch argus is one species of butterfly that is becoming less common in more southern regions.

Zoë Randle, senior surveys officer at Butterfly Conservation, said: “Species that rely on particular habitats aren’t able to move as freely as our garden favourites.

“This means that if climate change continues, they could become trapped in isolated fragments of remaining habitat, unable to move and with their food plants at risk from adverse weather conditions, facing the very real threat of extinction.”

The Big Butterfly Count is the largest citizen science project of its kind. Last year, more than 135,000 counts took place.

Sir David Attenborough, president of Butterfly Conservation, added: “The UK is a nation of amateur naturalists, and we have a proud tradition of celebrating and studying our wildlife.

“Every single person taking part in the Big Butterfly Count helps to build a picture of how butterflies are faring and how we can best conserve them.”

More information about taking part can be found on the Big Butterfly Count website.

Image © Shutterstock

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RCVS renewal fees increase by four per cent

News Story 1
 The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has announced a four per cent increase to its annual renewal fees.

RCVS treasurer Tshidi Gardiner said that the council had tried to keep the fees to a minimum, while increasing the fees in line with inflation. It is a two per cent lower increase than in 2024.

Fee notices will be sent to veterinary surgeons within the first two weeks of March, who will have until 1 April to pay for their annual renewal.

Veterinary surgeons who do not pay their fee before 1 May will incur a higher fee of £36. Non-payment by 1 June could mean they are removed from the RCVS register.

The veterinary nurse annual renewal period, taking place in autumn, will see the same percentage increase. 

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News Shorts
Wales licenses Bluetongue vaccines for voluntary use

The Welsh government has approved three Bluetongue vaccines for emergency use in Wales.

From 1 March an online general licence will become available for the vaccines' use. They will then be obtainable on prescription and can be sold by veterinary practices.

After appropriate guidance, livestock keepers will be permitted to administer the vaccines themselves. The vaccines must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and detailed vaccination records must be kept for five years.

The decision comes as Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) continues to spread across England. The three vaccines are already licensed for use in England.

Richard Irvine, CVO for Wales, said: "This decision to licence these vaccines was informed by our recent risk assessment indicating that Wales is now at high risk of experiencing an incursion of Bluetongue this year.

"Our primary aim is to keep Bluetongue out of Wales through biosecurity, vigilance and safe sourcing of livestock."