Anja Murray: We don't see many butterflies this time of year, but we can still look after them

The majority of butterflies we have here spend winter as eggs or caterpillars, hidden away under fallen leaves, nestled under moss, suspended from plants, or embedded in the soil. Leave fallen leaves as shelter for overwintering caterpillars. Allow nettles, brambles and other wild plants as a jumble of growth that can make the difference to a caterpillar surviving the winter or not

A common blue male butterfly. Only four of the 35 butterfly species we have in Ireland overwinter as butterflies. The remainder spend winter as eggs or caterpillars, hidden away under fallen leaves, nestled under moss, suspended from plants, or embedded in the soil. Picture: Andy Seely/Butterfly Conservation/PA Wire

Over the past week I’ve finally made the switch from the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to a similar one known as Bluesky. I remember the excitement in the early days of Twitter, when I could ‘follow’ many of the scientists and writers I admire. The diversity of voices gave a refreshing access to views of others and allowed for healthy debate and sharing of perspectives. People would post links to relevant news stories, new research, and super-succinct commentaries. Being able to say something interesting in 140 characters became a skill in itself.

For over a decade, many of us in the ‘twittersphere’ were hooked on the easy access to policy developments in our interest areas. It made it possible to stay informed of developments in the environmental realm, from climate policy and ocean conservation to EU agri policy and local community initiatives. I was able to spread word about projects I was involved with too.