North of England sees surge in butterfly sightings during Big Butterfly Count

The 2026 Big Butterfly Count has revealed a significant surge in butterfly and day-flying moth sightings across the North of England. More than 160,000 specimens were recorded by 11,747 participants across Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear.

Yorkshire recorded the highest volume with 118,330 sightings, followed by Lancashire with 27,765. The Painted Lady emerged as the standout species, with 13,876 sightings recorded in the region. Nationally, sightings of the Painted Lady increased by 335% compared to the previous year, a phenomenon described as a ‘Painted Lady summer’.

Despite the high numbers, experts from Butterfly Conservation warn that the heat contributing to these bumper figures could lead to a population crash in 2027.