Butterflies & Moths
Can a butterfly fight back before it’s even born? Can it really defend itself in the chrysalis?
Butterflies can defend themselves in their chrysalises, and not just by using camouflage or warning colours.
Did you know there's an animal called Donald Trump?
How a resemblance to Donald Trump inspired the name for an unknown moth species in the USA.
What is the world’s largest moth?
There are a few moth species vying for this title of biggest moth, and the winner depends on what you are measuring – the wingspan, the weight or the surface area of wings.
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How do butterflies smell? And what about moths?
How can butterflies and moth find food-plants and mates by smell if they don't have a nose? Ecologist Alex Morss explains how they can sense with other parts of their body.
How to identify 12 common British caterpillars
Learn how to identify common British caterpillars with our expert guide to distinguishing markings, what they eat, and where and when to find them.
Half of British butterfly species are now threatened with extinction
24 species of butterflies in the UK are now considered to be threatened, which is a significant increase from the last assessment.
Moth Night: what and when it is, how to take part, and which species to target
Celebrate moths and submit your sightings in this annual recording event. This year's theme focusses on moths found in woodlands.
Caterpillar foodplants for garden butterflies
Grow caterpillar foodplants so a range of butterfly species can lay their eggs in your garden, such as cuckoo flower for the orange-tip, or nettles for the peacock, red admiral and small tortoiseshell.
Best flowering plants for butterflies throughout the year
There’s a lot we can do to help butterflies, providing them with nectar to fuel journeys to find a mate, foodplants to lay eggs on and shelter to rest and hibernate. Author and wildlife gardener Kate Bradbury shares the best plants to provide nectar throughout spring, summer and autumn.
Lowest ever number of butterflies recorded in the Big Butterfly Count 2021
Despite more butterfly counts being submitted than ever before, the overall number of butterflies recorded per count was the lowest it has ever been for this annual citizen science survey.
30+ books on insects and invertebrates
From the captivating secrets of flies, to the bizarre and wonderful process of metamorphosis, discover a wide range of titles on insects and invertebrates by naturalists and scientists.
Big Butterfly Count: how to take part and species to spot
The annual Big Butterfly Count is the world's largest survey of butterflies. Find out how to take part, which species to look out for, and how to submit your sightings.
British wildlife in July
With verdant hedgerows, the hum of insects, warmer days and milder nights, summer is in full swing.
BBC Radio 2 launches the Big Bee Challenge
In this new competition, BBC Radio 2 is encouraging us to create a better environment for the bees.
2020 was a ‘good’ year for butterflies in the UK
The results from the annual UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme show that last year was a 'good' year for butterflies, but conservationists warn of the dangers of shifting baseline syndrome.
New postal stamps to celebrate pollinators
The Royal Mail has released six stamps of ‘Brilliant Bugs’, illustrated by renowned wildlife artist Richard Lewington.
New invertebrate photography competition launched
The new annual photography awards will celebrate insects and other invertebrates, with judges including Buglife president Germaine Greer, naturalist and BBC Wildlife columnist Nick Baker and professional invertebrate photographers such as Levon Biss.
Purple emperor butterfly guide: how to identify, what they eat, and when and where to see them
Sometimes referred to as ‘His Imperial Majesty’, the purple emperor is an impressive but elusive butterfly. Learn more about this species in our expert guide by Matthew Oates.
How to make your garden wildlife-friendly
Most of us would like more wildlife to visit our gardens, and making your patch attractive to birds, mammals and invertebrates needn't involve a lot of work. Here are our easy tips for creating a wildlife haven in your backyard.
Moths and butterflies shift their symmetry to improve camouflage
New research shows how insect symmetrical patterns have evolved to become less obvious to predators.
New study on the best garden plants for pollinators
Recent research reveals the most attractive flowering plants for Britain’s pollinating insects
The year of the painted lady
Results of the tenth UK-wide Big Butterfly Count reveal a bumper year for the painted lady, but not all species have done so well.
Climate change causes invasion of Mediterranean butterfly in the UK
Record-breaking numbers of long-tailed blue butterflies have been seen in the last few weeks.
Rare butterfly to be reintroduced
Conservationists are planning to release large heath butterflies into the wild where they were lost to local extinction.