Futures Forum: Butterfly Monitory Scheme > The good news is that butterfly numbers have risen since 2016. The bad news is that overall populations are still way below average.

Celebrating 50 years...
Butterfly Conservation - Saving butterflies and moths for 50 years

... here's the latest newsletter from British Butterfly Conservation:

Welcome to April's ‘all aflutter’.

In this issue we reveal last year's butterfly winners and losers. The Secret Gardener has top tips for adding new nectar sources to your garden. Orange-tip butterflies will emerge any day and Brimstone moths are also on the wing this month. Drinker moth caterpillars will be almost fully grown by the end of April and are quite easy to spot feeding on grasses. With the weather due to warm up and new species emerging every day, there is a lot to look forward to. If you'd like to keep receiving the latest butterfly and moths news please don't forget to follow the link at the end of your newsletter and select your mailing preferences.

Worried About The Whites

The good news is that butterfly numbers have risen since 2016. The bad news is that overall populations are still way below average.

New figures, published this week from the annual UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), reveal how our butterflies fared last year in comparison to previous years dating back to the 1970s.

Last year's data has raised concerns for some of our common species. The UK's white butterflies particularly struggled in 2017. The Large White dropped 19%, confirming fears that the species is in a state of long term decline.

The Small White saw a fall of 16% and the Green-veined White followed suit with a 2% drop reported. One butterfly that bucked the downward trend is the less common White Admiral. Numbers of this striking, woodland butterfly soared by 157%.

Find out which butterflies bounced back and which two species suffered their worst year on record.

Read The Results

Dig It: Spring Into Action

Wallflowers might have a reputation for being shy and retiring but these easy-to-grow, garden plants will hold their own in beds, borders and containers.

The flowers come in a range of colours and, if you keep deadheading, some varieties will bloom from early spring well into autumn, providing valuable nectar for butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

The Secret Gardener is a fan of the Perennial Wallflower Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve'. This variety offers evergreen coverage through the winter months as well as pretty purple flowers for the other three seasons. Find out which wallflower will work for you in this month's gardening blog.