Residents of Cornwall are encouraged to join the count as an unusually high number of butterflies is predicted to visit the UK this season.

The Painted Lady butterfly is a common immigrant to the UK from the Continent but, with an unusually high number of sightings across Europe over the spring and early summer, it is thought that the insect will arrive en masse this year for the first time since 2009.

With sightings already popping up across Cornwall, from Godrevy to St Agnes, Newquay to Polzeath, as well as Penzance, the Lizard and Falmouth, people are welcomed to join in with this years Big Butterfly Count and register their sightings.

Chris Packham, naturalist and BBC Springwatch presenter, said: “The Painted Lady migration is one of the wonders of the natural world.

“This butterfly undertakes an extraordinary seven thousand five hundred mile round trip from tropical Africa to the Arctic Circle every year – almost double the length of the famous migrations of the Monarch butterfly in North America.

“Signs across Europe are looking very promising, meaning that 2019 could be a very good year for the Painted Lady with high numbers already being recorded across parts of the UK."

The Big Butterfly Count is an initiative sponsored by B&Q, running from July 19 until August 11, with 'butterfly walks' taking place near to Godolphin Cross in Helston, near Redruth, Polzeath and Porthgwarra.

Butterfly Conservation is being supported by mental health charity Mind which has linked spending time outdoors to mental health benefits.

Rachel Boyd, head of content information at Mind, said: “Being outdoors in green environments can help us deal with negative feelings and experiences like depression.

“Noticing our environment, observing interesting and beautiful things, and being more aware of the world around us can boost our wellbeing and self-esteem.”

For more information on the events surrounding the Big Butterfly Count and how you can register your sightings visit https://butterfly-conservation.org/ .