Matthew Hayes

Dr. Richard Fox, head of science at Butterfly Conservation, and Matthew Hayes from the Banking on Butterflies project discuss the alarming decline of butterfly populations in the UK. They reveal that 80% of monitored species have drastically decreased since the 1970s, primarily due to habitat destruction and climate change. The duo emphasizes butterflies as critical indicators of environmental health and explores innovative strategies to combat their decline, including citizen science efforts and the creation of butterfly banks to support their survival.