WILDLIFE lovers are being invited to take part in a butterfly count near Wickwar tomorrow (Saturday, July 16) after legendary conservationist Sir David Attenborough warned the washout summer could put common varieties at risk.

Sir David, president of Butterfly Conservation, is urging more people than ever to take part in an annual Big Butterfly Count, as conditions in recent months are feared to have reduced butterflies’ opportunity to feed and mate.

Sir David said that people’s sightings were vital in order to chart the effects of the poor weather conditions.

He said: “Last year’s wet and cold summer made life difficult for many of our butterflies and coupled with this year’s late spring, our Red Admirals, Small Coppers, Green-veined Whites and Speckled Woods really need a boost of warm summer weather to enable them to thrive.

“During my lifetime I have seen first-hand how the UK’s once plentiful butterflies have dwindled and diminished, with some species even becoming extinct. This is a gloomy outlook but not one that is set in stone.

"We must make sure these losses are halted and reversed, but in order to achieve this we first need to find out as much information about our butterflies as possible.

“It is vitally important that we gain a clearer picture of how our butterflies are faring. That is why taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is so important – it helps us build a picture of how butterflies are doing in our own neighbourhoods and what help they need from us.”

The Big Butterfly Count is the world’s largest butterfly survey, which encourages people to spot and record 18 species of common butterflies and two-day flying moths during three weeks of high summer.

It can be done in any green space but several free public butterfly events are being held in the region including a guided butterfly walk through Lower Woodlands, near Inglestone Common between Wickwar and Hawkesbury Upton, on Saturday 16 July (11am-1pm).

There will be another count at Coombe Hill in Wotton-under-Edge on Sunday, August 6 - the final weekend of the Count.

For more information go to butterfly-conservation.org/GlosBBC