Intense visitor pressure at the more popular sites causes disturbance to nesting birds and other wildlife. Spread the load by visiting these sites mid-week if possible. Better still visit the lesser known sites. They can be equally rewarding, and you often have the place to yourself, with just the birds and butterflies for company.

Explore local sites. Take advantage of encounters with landowners. Most owners / managers welcome conservation input from local people. Concentrating on local sites gives you more time to explore the habitat, reduces your fuel expenses, and minimises your carbon footprint.

Photographers should be aware of the accidental damage they often cause by trampling on foodplants, disturbing nesting birds, or scaring nervous wildlife. Please keep to paths or trails as much as possible. Leaving paths encourages others to do the same thing, and can result in considerable damage to fragile foodplants and rare wild flowers.

Before visiting private sites always obtain the landowner's permission. On sites with public access, keep to existing paths and tracks. Abide by any requests to stay out of particular areas. Alienating landowners or site managers is harmful to conservation.

Consider other countryside users, who want to enjoy the peace and tranquillity, and have just as much right to be there as you do. If anyone asks what you are doing, be an ambassador for butterfly conservation - encourage them to take an interest in butterflies, and tell them about www.learnaboutbutterflies.com, so that they can find out more.