Following a record low summer for butterflies in our Big Butterfly Count and decades of long-term declines, we are calling on the new Government to support butterflies and moths and, as a first step, to ban butterfly-killing neonicotinoid pesticides.
Sadly, since we first declared a Butterfly Emergency, British Sugar and NFU Sugar have once again asked the Government for approval to use these harmful chemicals next year. These emergency authorisations were only ever meant to be temporary to allow time to transition away from pesticides, but, unfortunately, this is the fifth year their use has been requested.
Enough is enough.
The Government needs to ban neonicotinoid pesticides once and for all and support farmers to move towards wildlife-friendly, resilient and sustainable farming practices. Add your name to our letter today and let the Government know that we will not stand by as our butterflies and moths flutter towards extinction.
Thank you.
Dr Dan Hoare
Director of Conservation, Butterfly Conservation
