Welcome to UK BMS
In this tab, you will find specific information about the UKBMS. Please note that this butterfly monitoring scheme has its own official website, where you can find additional information.
About UK BMS
The UKBMS was Europe's first butterfly monitoring scheme. It began collecting transect count data in 1976 and now gathers butterfly records from more than 3000 sites each year. This scheme continues to grow and support butterfly and moth conservation thanks to the coordination efforts of Ian Middlebrook, the UKBMS Programme Lead, and Jo Milborrow, Butterfly Monitoring Officer.
The UKBMS is organised and funded by Butterfly Conservation (BC), the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
This monitoring scheme collects all transect count data via its official website.
If you wish to contribute to this BMS, please click on the link above to be redirected to the appropriate data entry platform.
Getting started - Contact us
Are you new to butterfly counts? Do you need help identifying butterflies?
Please contact the coordinators before starting a transect, they can help you place your transect and give advice on butterfly monitoring.
Please contact [email protected]
If you have problems or suggestions specifically regarding the eBMS app or website, please contact eBMS by writing [email protected].
Join the community
If you’re new or would like to keep up with the monitoring scheme’s updates, consider joining other like-minded citizen scientists on social media platforms:
UKBMS Bluesky profile: Follow to keep up with the scheme's updates and get tips for butterfly monitoring.
- Follow Butterfly Conservation's social media:
- Visit the 'In Your Area' section of the BC website to find butterfly conservation enthusiasts near you.
Supporting materials and resources
Below are field guides and other useful resources to help you identify the butterflies present in your geographical area. If you are instead looking for materials about broader butterfly group identification or about butterfly count methodologies, please visit the materials tab.
The Butterfly Conservation website
BC's website includes tools for butterfly and moth identification, plus comprehensive fact sheets for each species, including information on life cycles, distribution, and associated food plants. You can also find gardening tips to help attract a diversity of butterfly and moth species.
The Butterfly Conservation YouTube Channel
Find informative videos about butterflies and moths and stay informed about the organisation's projects.