Big Butterfly Count returns this weekend with advice on how to see Northern Brown Argus

  • Watch as Tom Prescott speaks about the Northern Brown Argus.

The Big Butterfly Count returns this weekend with advice on how to spot the rare Northern Brown Argus.

The species of butterfly is only found in northern England and in Scotland. The survey is the world's largest of its kind with scientists warning of huge impact on various species.

According to scientists half of Britain's butterflies are already threatened or near threatened with extinction.

Tom Prescott, Head of Conservation for Butterfly Conservation Scotland said: “We ask people to go into the countryside, whether that be a park, a farmers field or just in their garden and on a lovely sunny day sit there for 15 minutes and count all of the butterflies that they see.

The Scotch Argus is one butterfly you can spot during the count. Credit: Iain H Leach

"We then collate all of that information and it gives us a very good snapshot to how butterflies are faring in Scotland and also elsewhere in the country. We can compare that year on year because the same method has been used all the time."

Tom has advice for those living in the Borders to see a species which is native only to northern England and Scotland. He said: "The one butterfly that is particularly special to the Borders is a butterfly called the northern brown argus.

"It is a very rare species, as the name suggested it only occurs in northern England and in Scotland."

The Big Butterfly survey is used to track certain species of butterfly. Tom said: "Each year we produce a list of the most common butterflies in Scotland and that seems to change each year.

"It is though the same sort of common butterflies that people are seeing. That is what this survey is all about it is trying to spot any trends in common species.

“In Scotland we have 36 butterflies of which we are working closely on five of them. They are five of the most threatened species that we have in Scotland. We are also working with land owners and partners to try and improve the habitat for those species."

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