Take a flutter on the Big Butterfly Count in Walton on Thames

People in Walton on Thames are being urged to take part in a health check of the local environment through counting butterflies at the end of this month.

The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide survey aimed at helping assess the health of the environment. It was launched last year and 10,000 people took part, counting 210,000 butterflies and day-flying moths across the nation. It is hoped that many more people will join this year's big butterfly count which runs from today (Saturday July 16) to July 31.

Butterflies react very quickly to change in their environment which makes them excellent biodiversity indicators. Butterfly declines are an early warning for other wildlife losses. That's why counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature.

The count will also assist in identifying trends in species that will help us plan how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understand the effect of climate change on wildlife.

To take part simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright, preferably sunny, weather from July 16 to 31. A spokesman for the Big Butterfly Count explained: "We have chosen this time of year because most butterflies are at the adult stage of their lifecycle, so more likely to be seen. Records are welcome from anywhere: from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields and forests."

If you are counting from a fixed position in your garden, count the maximum number of each species that you can see at a single time. For example, if you see three Red Admirals together on a buddleia bush then record it as three, but if you only see one at a time then record it as one, even if you saw one on several occasions.

The Big Butterfly Count website has a handy guide to help you identify the various butterflies you may see.

You can submit separate records for different dates, and for different places that you visit. Remember that your count is useful even if you do not see any butterflies or moths.

You can only send in your sightings online.

Photo via Flickr with thanks to Lindsay Sorensen