UK Butterflies in decline- but there are signs of hope at Lark Rise Farm

Recent reports show that many of the UK’s most distinctive butterflies are in steep decline. 

While increasingly warm and sunny weather has helped some British butterfly species to flourish, the overall picture is far less encouraging.

According to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), of the 59 native species monitored, 33 have declined, 25 have improved, and one mountain species has too little data to assess. 
 
Behind these figures is a remarkable national effort. Conservationists and volunteers, including the Countryside Regeneration Trust’s own team, have collectively walked more than 932,000 miles, surveying butterflies across over 7,600 sites. This long-term monitoring provides vital insight into how species are faring and how landscapes are changing. 

A closer look at Lark Rise Farm 

Dr Vince Lea, conservation officer at the CRT’s Lark Rise Farm in Barton, Cambridgeshire, said: “At Lark Rise, we are certainly seeing benefits from nature friendly farming, especially the reinstatement of flower-rich meadow areas.” 

So far this year, Vince’s volunteer team has have done three counts with good numbers.  

“The spring emergence is much earlier than it was 20 years ago, so we get more variety and higher numbers in the first half of April, when the survey starts, than we did in the first five years 2000-2004,” he said. 

Our average scores for the first two weeks of April, in the first five years of Lark Rise Transects, (2000-2004) were: 

Fewer than six butterflies of fewer than two species 

Our total for the same transect in the first two weeks of April 2026 are:

66 butterflies of six species 

Climate Change and Changing Seasons 

However, this increase isn’t purely down to improved habitats. Vince points out that climate change is playing a major role in shifting butterfly behaviour. 

“This is mainly due to climate change making the butterfly season start earlier, rather than improved habitat, as all the species at this time of year are very much generalist species, for example, Small White, which feeds on garden cabbages. We never saw those before the third week in April in the past, but there were four of them in the first week this year. The survey was designed 50 years ago when spring was much later! 

“The main increases in total butterflies that we have recorded comes with the species that use better quality habitats, such as flower meadows, most of those start to appear in May and peak in July,” explains Vince. 

Looking Ahead 

The mixed fortunes of the UK’s butterflies underline a complex reality. Climate change may be shifting seasons and boosting early sightings, but many species continue to struggle due to habitat loss and environmental pressures. 

Encouragingly, projects like those at Lark Rise Farm, show that nature-friendly farming can make a real difference. With continued monitoring, habitat restoration and collaboration, there is hope that more species can recover and thrive. 
 
To read about our butterfly surveys last year, see our blog here:  https://www.thecrt.co.uk/news/butterflies-desperately-need-our-help-now