THE launch of the Big Butterfly Count has seen many people, especially families, visiting nature spots across the town.

The nationwide scheme has been supported by the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, as it aims to assess the health of our environment.

And Geoff Settle, who chairs the group, has revealed some of the best places to visit in Warrington to see the beautiful butterflies.

“The first place I would suggest where you can see the Painted Lady explosion that has come to Warrington is on Bewsey Street outside Wycliffe Community Centre,” he said.

“I was walking to The Halliwell Jones Stadium from the bus station and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a small cloud of the butterflies fluttering around two Buddleias.

“It really was a real treat to see them and I never expected to see so many in the centre of town.”

Another place Geoff recommends is Houghton Green Pool off Delph Lane, which he refers to as the Magic Lake.

“My wife and I went for a walk to the Magic Lake to check out the litter situation and hopefully see if the fantastic Wild Marsh Orchid display was still out,” he added.

“Although disappointed that the orchard season had finished, we saw an amazing display and variety of butterflies which included Gatekeepers, Red Admirals and even a Speckled Wood.

“We didn’t see one Cinnabar Moth, but we did see thousands of their distinctive black and yellow caterpillars on the yellow ragwort.

“The area is also litter free thanks to the WNCF waste bin placed on Delph Lane, and we would like to thank everyone who uses it and respects the countryside.”

If you would like to participate in the Big Butterfly Count, visit bigbutterflycount.org for more details.