Join the count: This weekend is the big Garden Butterfly Count in the Netherlands
This weekend, it's time once again for the annual Garden Butterfly Count. From Friday, July 10th to Sunday, July 12th, people across the Netherlands can participate in this nature project. The goal of the event is to investigate how butterflies are doing in our gardens and on our balconies.
Participating in the count is very simple and doesn't take much time. You only need to sit in your garden or on your balcony for fifteen minutes and note which butterflies you see flying. The organization asks participants to then submit their results via a special website or an app. In this way, the Butterfly Conservation (Vlinderstichting) gets a clear picture of the biodiversity in Dutch residential areas.
The annual count is very important for scientists and researchers. Butterflies are, in fact, a good indicator of the health of nature. If butterflies are doing poorly, it often means there are also problems with the rest of the environment. By counting in the same way every year, experts can see if certain species are appearing more frequently or if they are slowly disappearing.
There are many different types of butterflies you can encounter in a Dutch garden. Think of the well-known peacock butterfly with its beautiful 'eyes' on the wings, the white cabbage butterfly, or the colorful small tortoiseshell. Even if you don't know much about insects, you can easily participate. Handy identification charts are available online to help you quickly recognize the different species.
The organization hopes that thousands of people will participate in the campaign again this year. It is not only useful for science but also a relaxing way to learn more about nature in your own immediate surroundings. So grab a chair this weekend, sit outside, and discover which butterflies come to visit you.