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62 Phonebox Magazine | May 2025QUIZ CORNERNine species had their worst year since counting began, including the much-loved Small Tortoiseshell, Chalk Hill Blue and Small Copper.Last year was also the second-worst year on record for %u2018wider countryside species%u2019 %u2013 the common butterfl ies that live in gardens, parks and across the landscape such as Common Blue, Gatekeeper and Large White.The fi gures come from the UK Butterfl y Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) which has asked volunteers to count butterfl ies across the country since 1976 and now monitors more than 3,000 sites. Overall, 2024 was the fifth worst year since records began for UK butterfl ies. Butterfl y numbers always fl uctuate annually, and last year%u2019s Newly released data has shown that 2024 was one of the worst years on record for butterfl ies in the UK and, for the fi rst time on record, more than half of butterfl y species in the country are now in long-term decline.U Z J B B L C D Y L G T R N D L E L XZ P Y J V I S N I Q Q C D L U E O M ZR A Y G Y B A V B U T T E R F L Y P SC W T L J G E G R A S S H O P P E R IR F E B F E L G H X B Y Z Y P Y G I LI Q N O W N F D H W X I X O J L I P VC L R I H V O C Q G U B Y D A L W B EK O O D Z K A G M F C E R T R T R E RE C H W R O U Y A A V L G K A T A D FT U A C R J A Z T R B Z E L T E E B IK S J K G O D E P H D T B F B F J U SP T C F O Z R X W P E J F T S W P G HP O P Z O P F Q D R S M O S Q U I T OC D B Q I K T I M C U Y D I D Y T A KX F C L F B H I J J O F W O L S U J MY C L L H P T Q Y Q L B R M Y H T T XQ A M Q A E E B E L B M U B I Y T N NR B O V H I G E S I G N I H B F B O AX C N Y Y Y I I T P E J H I V M R E Mlow numbers are partly the result of a wet spring and relatively cool summer, however UKBMS data also show that 31 of the 59 resident UK species are now in long-term decline.Butterfl ies like long grass and you can fi nd out more about letting your grass grow long at: butterfl y-conservation.org.In the meantime, try our insect word scramble grid. Butterfl ies and moths are in there somewhere, along with lots of other bugs and creepie-crawlies.Butterfly woesHere%u2019s what you are looking for:ANTAPHIDBEDBUGBEETLEBUMBLEBEEBUTTERFLYCATERPILLARCOCKROACHCRICKETDRAGONFLYEARWIGFLEAGRASSHOPPERHORNETKATYDIDLADYBUGLOCUSTLOUSEMOSQUITOMOTHSILVERFISHTERMITEWASPWEEVIL