In Photos: Big Butterfly Count 2018

‘Valezina form of silver washed fritillary, taken at Clanger and Picket Woods, Heywood, Wiltshire. The wonderful chalk and ancient forest habitats around where I live have some of the UK’s rarer butterflies, and so far this year I’ve seen 33 species. I record all sightings to Wiltshire Butterfly Conservation as monitoring of numbers is crucial at a time we’re losing species.’

Photograph: Luke Hepples

‘Enjoying life at Croome, near High Green, Worcester.’

Photograph: C.A.Jones

‘The beauty of nature, this picture was taken in Parkgate, Wirral, on 22 July.’ There are several butterflies in the blue family in the UK, this most likely being a male common blue.

Photograph: Neil Francis