The results of Butterfly Conservation’s 2026 Big Butterfly Count have revealed it was a great summer for butterflies, but what comes next could be dire.
Butterfly Conservation Head of Science Professor Richard Fox said:
“This has been one of the hottest, driest summers on record, and the figures certainly suggest that was good news for many of the widespread butterfly species monitored by the Count. In fact, it was the second best year in the 16-year history of the Big Butterfly Count.
“Adult butterflies love hot, sunny weather for flying, feeding and breeding, and that’s exactly why people saw so many this summer- but a good summer for adult butterflies is not the same as a good summer for butterfly populations.
“What matters far more is what’s happening on the ground, to the butterflies’ caterpillar offspring and the plants they depend on. The very same weather that made it a good year for butterflies – lots of sunshine and very little rain – could mean we’re actually on course for a population crash, which could take years to recover from.”
101,565 people took part in the 2026 Big Butterfly Count and recorded almost 1.4 million butterflies and moths across the UK from Friday 17 July – Sunday 9 August.
Big Butterfly Count 2026 Scotland results
| Species | Abundance |
|---|---|
| 1. Small White | 7,154 |
| 2. Large White | 4,679 |
| 3. Red Admiral | 4,000 |
| 4. Peacock | 3,887 |
| 5. Green-veined White | 2,618 |
| 6. Small Tortoiseshell | 2,298 |
| 7. Meadow Brown | 2,187 |
| 8. Painted Lady | 1,703 |
| 9. Ringlet | 1,450 |
| 10. Speckled Wood | 1,342 |
| 11. Scotch Argus | 928 |
| 12. Six-spot burnet | 513 |
| 13. Common Blue | 447 |
| 14. Small Copper | 319 |
| 15. Comma | 318 |
| 16. Holly Blue | 257 |
| 17. Silver Y | 195 |
| Totals | 34,295 |
The Small White tops the chart for Scotland, England and Wales, but number 1 spot in Northern Ireland goes to the Peacock butterfly.
Big Butterfly Count 2026 full results for the UK
| Species | Total Count | % Change from 2025* | % Change from Average Year* | % Trend 2011 – 2026* | |
| 1. | Small White | 281,634 | -13 | 32 | 12 |
| 2. | Gatekeeper | 211,029 | 17 | 50 | -7 |
| 3. | Large White | 190,295 | -39 | 19 | 46 |
| 4. | Red Admiral | 141,178 | -13 | 39 | 63 |
| 5. | Meadow Brown | 134,335 | -6 | -15 | -19 |
| 6. | Painted Lady | 85,508 | 335 | 161 | 74 |
| 7. | Common Blue | 54,430 | 17 | -16 | -52 |
| 8. | Peacock | 54,414 | -3 | 39 | 3 |
| 9. | Holly Blue | 43,849 | 221 | 128 | 42 |
| 10. | Small Tortoiseshell | 33,123 | -30 | -53 | -66 |
| 11. | Speckled Wood | 31,512 | -17 | -28 | -44 |
| 12. | Green-veined White | 27,877 | -22 | -13 | -54 |
| 13. | Comma | 23,220 | -33 | -2 | -3 |
| 14. | Small Copper | 19,406 | -28 | 38 | 93 |
| 15. | Ringlet | 15,606 | 0.1 | -0.5 | -39 |
| 16. | Jersey Tiger | 12,628 | – | – | – |
| 17. | Silver Y | 8,180 | – | – | – |
| 18. | Brimstone | 6,087 | 27 | 67 | 11 |
| 19. | Six-spot Burnet | 4,304 | – | – | – |
| 20. | Marbled White | 1,897 | 19 | 7 | -14 |
| 21. | Scotch Argus | 935 | – | – | – |
| Total: | 1,381,447 |
*This year, Butterfly Conservation has developed and applied a new analysis to account for variations in flight times of butterflies. Many species emerged earlier than normal in 2026 due to the heat, and some had almost finished before this summer’s Big Butterfly Count started. The new analysis adjusts for such changes to ensure accurate representation of butterfly populations.
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