As we’re all being encouraged to spend more time in our homes and feeling the worry and anxiety of 24/7 news coverage of the global pandemic, Butterfly Conservation is suggesting a way to look after your mental health by spending time in your garden or outdoor spaces.
For those who are able to get outside, and who now perhaps have more opportunity to do so than normal, there is plenty of winter wildlife to look out for. Just remember to follow the Government's latest advice and social distancing guidelines.
Richard Fox, Associate Director (Recording & Research) at Butterfly Conservation suggests a few top species you could be lucky enough to spot.
In midwinter, the butterflies and moths you are most likely to encounter are those that are either active as adults or those that are dormant as adults. Eggs, larvae & pupae tend to be hidden away, though you may find Large White pupae attached to the walls of your house. A small group of incredibly hardly moths have their main period of adult activity in wintertime, including the Winter Moth and Spring Usher.
Those butterflies that overwinter as dormant adults include the Brimstone, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, and Peacock, the latter two of which can sometimes be found indoors at this time of year looking for a suitable place to hibernate. Here's what to do if you find a butterfly in the house.
“There are moths flying at night too, though they are a little harder to see in large numbers before the weather starts really warming up.” Some to look out for include the Twenty-plume Moth, Red-green Carpet, Tissue, Sword-grass, Herald and Bloxworth Snout.
Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive Julie Williams said: “While it’s crucial that we all stay safe and take steps to keep ourselves and others physically well at the moment, it’s also important that we take care of our mental health too.
“Anxiety, isolation and feeling stuck at home can have detrimental effects for our mental health and we’re encouraging anyone who can access an outdoor space to take a break in nature while respecting the guidance on social distancing.
“There’s so much life... in our gardens and outdoor spaces and many of us might have a bit more opportunity to explore them than usual. It’s a proven fact that spending time in nature can have beneficial effects on your mental health.
Take some mindful time to watch for winter wildlife, record what you see and share it online. You could also plant some wildflower bulbs now, ready for our spring pollinators.
Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind, the mental health charity, said: “We know being told to stay indoors and avoid others can be a very daunting prospect. There are a variety of things you can do to maintain wellbeing in these circumstances, one of which is engaging with nature and green space.
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For many of us, we don’t have access to our own green space in the form of a garden, so in this time of social distancing, we welcome Butterfly Conservation’s suggestion of taking time to watch for the first Spring butterflies. Even something as simple as going to a local public park or sitting by a window to watch butterflies can be beneficial to our mental health.”
If you’d like to take a break in nature this year, you can identify the butterflies in your garden using our Identify a butterfly page.
We’d also love you to share your sightings on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can also contribute your sightings online to our Garden Butterfly Survey scheme or using our free iRecord app.