Oxford News
Fears mount as butterflies beginning to disappear from UK
This is according to 50 years of data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS).
Since 1976, this world‑leading citizen science project has amassed more than 44 million records.
From this, they have created a detailed picture of how the UK’s butterflies are doing.
And it doesn’t spell good news, after volunteers completed 782,000 walks to count species at thousands of sites across the country over the past five decades.
As the scheme celebrates its 50th anniversary, conservationists warn they are locked in an “increasingly urgent battle” to protect the richness and diversity of Britain’s butterflies.
Of the 59 native species monitored, UKBMS figures show that 33 have declined in numbers and 25 have improved, though one mountain-dwelling species has insufficient data.
Species that can survive across different habitats have been better able to cope with changes to the landscape and climate, and some have even spread to new areas, the figures indicate.
For example, the Red Admiral used to be a summer visitor to the UK, but the species is now seen here year-round as the climate warms, with the dataset showing numbers have surged by 330% since 1976.
There have been some exceptions to this trend, such as the small tortoiseshell, which has declined by almost 90% in the last 50 years.
On the other hand, butterflies that live in a particular habitat, such as woodland glades or chalk downland, have struggled widely and many are fast declining.
The number of pearl-bordered fritillaries – a vibrant orange-and-black butterfly whose caterpillars only eat violets growing in sunny spots in woodland clearings or bracken-covered hillsides – has decreased by 70% since 1976.
just found out that butterflies can’t even see their own wings, and that got me thinking… most people don’t even recognize their true beauty & how much they’ve grown and evolved
— Wholesome Side of 𝕏 (@itsme_urstruly) April 3, 2026
And white-letter hairstreaks, which only lay their eggs on elm trees, have suffered huge declines over the decades after millions died from disease.
But intensive conservation efforts have helped some of these species buck the downward trend, including the silver-studded blue and the black hairstreak.
Richard Fox, head of science at Butterfly Conservation, which is one of the organisations that runs the scheme, called the set of figures “damning”.
“Just as we have lost family-run shops and traditional skills from the nation’s high streets, so we’ve lost variety and diversity in the butterfly communities that can exist in our damaged and simplified landscapes,” he said.
“We have some remarkable species in this country, and we know what we need to do to help them – create more habitat.
“That is what Butterfly Conservation has been doing for more than 50 years, but we are fighting an increasingly urgent battle and we need more help.”
It comes after the organisation’s Big Butterfly Count, which asks members of the public to count species in their local green spaces during a period in the summer, yielded disappointing results last year.
This was despite hopes that the hot record summer conditions in which butterflies should thrive might have helped to offset decades of declining numbers.
In 2024, the wet spring and cool summer contributed to the lowest numbers spotted in the count’s 14-year history.
“Last year should have been amazing for butterflies, however, we were not treated to a bumper butterfly year – indeed over one-third of species had below average numbers,” Mr Fox said.
Would you be sad to see butterflies disappear from the UK? Let us know in the comments
The blaze broke out on Monday (August 3) in fields behind houses in Chipping Campden, just across the Oxfordshire border in Gloucestershire.
74-year-old gardener and landscaper Francis Owens died at the scene after a large fire erupted in dry fields behind Berrington Road and Castle Gardens.
Emergency services received multiple 999 calls at 5.38pm reporting a fast‑moving blaze.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said 13 fire engines were deployed at the height of the incident.
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Deputy chief fire officer Nathaniel Hooton said: “We were called at 5.38pm on Monday 3 August following multiple reports from members of the public about a large fire in fields behind Berrington Road and Castle Gardens in Chipping Campden.
“As a service, we extend our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and to the wider community.
“At the height of the incident, 13 fire engines were in attendance. This was a multi‑agency response.
“We worked extremely hard with colleagues from neighbouring fire services to bring the fire under control.”
Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed that Mr Owens, from the local area, was declared dead at the scene.
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A police spokesperson said: “Following a fire in Chipping Campden last night, a man in his 70s from the local area was sadly confirmed dead at the scene.
“His family and the coroner have been informed, and our thoughts remain with all those who knew him at this time.
“Police do not suspect any third party involvement in the death.2
Speaking to The Independent, Mr Owens’ son Patrick described his father as “the Renaissance man of Chipping Campden” and an “amazing father” who had been devoted to his wife Mandy for 50 years.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established, and Gloucestershire Police and the fire service say investigations are continuing.
The Change.org surpassed the 500,000 milestone just before Thursday afternoon, August 6 and continues to rise at speed.
Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK are demanding the government do not let Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole out of jail early.
Some 5,000 people are expected to be released early under sentencing changes, down from 6,000 after ministers exempted rapists and “serious” child sex offenders as part of the scheme to tackle overcrowding in jails.
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Cole and Bowers remain eligible to be freed halfway through their 13-year sentences after they were convicted of manslaughter in 2020 following Pc Harper’s death in 2019
As she backed the calls, widow Lissie Harper said: “Government has punched us in the gut… they should be ashamed of themselves.
“Hopefully we can make the current Government come to their senses and realise we cannot put people like this back on our streets. Justice should mean justice and serving the sentence given.”
Aileen O’Connor, who chairs the Thames Valley Police Federation, said releasing Cole and Bowers would anger and demoralise serving officers in the area.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said she supported the Police Federation in considering a judicial review.
She told Today: “I’m not arguing against early release. We’ve had early release even under Conservatives.
“I’m against early release of this dangerous category of rapists, paedophiles, killers, including the killers of Pc Andrew Harper.”
Thames Valley Police has released a CCTV image of a man they are searching for in relation to money reportedly being fraudulently withdrawn in Oxfordshire, Ascot and London.
The force said that on May 20, the suspected offender obtained the bank card and PIN number of the victim, a woman in her 20s, which were being posted to her address.
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They then proceeded to withdraw thousands of pounds from the victim’s account over the next 12 days, before the woman became aware and blocked the card.
The money was withdrawn from cash machines at several locations, including NatWest, TSB and Nationwide branches in Witney, HSBC in Chiswick, Nationwide in Oxford, and cash machines at Tesco and Sainsbury’s in Ascot.
This was between 20 May and 1 June 2026.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable David Mathieson, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity at the cash machines between the dates we are investigating, or has information that may assist us to please get in touch.
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“If you recognise the man in the image, or if this is you, please contact us.
“Anyone with information should call 101 or make an online report, via our website, quoting crime reference number 43260273378.
“If you don’t want to speak directly with police, you can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
“If you suspect your card or account has been compromised, contact your bank immediately.”
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