RPL joins thousands of citizen scientists for Big Butterfly Count 2026

Telford, UK, 14 August 2026 — Employees from Ricoh UK Products Ltd (RPL) and Ricoh Printing Solutions Europe Ltd (RPSE) have joined thousands of citizen scientists across the UK to support this year’s Big Butterfly Count.

Led by the Biodiversity team, 23 employees took part in four survey sessions across the Telford site between 17 July and 9 August, recording 238 butterflies and moths and contributing valuable data to the nationwide conservation initiative. 

Organised by Butterfly Conservation, the Big Butterfly Count invites members of the public to spend 15 minutes recording the butterflies and selected day-flying moths they see in one location. 

Because butterflies respond quickly to changes in their environment, they are important biodiversity indicators. Recording their numbers helps scientists take the “pulse of nature”, identify long-term trends and better understand how wildlife is being affected by pressures such as climate change and habitat loss. 

In 2026, 97,221 citizen scientists completed 159,393 counts across the UK, recording 1,602,980 butterflies.

1. Small White – 320,708 
2. Gatekeeper – 242,568 
3. Large White – 221,012 
4. Meadow Brown – 161,574 
5. Red Admiral – 161,284

At RPL and RPSE, employees recorded 238 butterflies and moths across two areas of the Telford site. The five most frequently identified species were: 

• Gatekeeper – 47 
• Small White – 44 
• Meadow Brown – 35 
• Large White – 30 
• Common Blue – 21 

Employees also spotted Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Ringlet, Green-veined White, Painted Lady, Brimstone and Comma. 

Continuous Improvement Engineer and Biodiversity team member, Carl Griffin, who led this year’s Count, commented:“It was encouraging to see such a strong connection between our local results and the national picture. Four of the five species most frequently recorded at RPL and RPSE also appeared in the UK’s top five for 2026.” 

“These observations are a useful part of citizen science. When counts from sites, gardens and green spaces across the country are brought together, they help build a broader understanding of how butterfly populations are changing.”

Creating space for biodiversity

Taking part in the annual Big Butterfly Count forms part of RPL’s wider commitment to protecting and enhancing biodiversity across its 50+ acre site. Alongside other environmental activities, this annual monitoring helps RPL understand the wildlife using its grounds, improve the way green spaces are managed and support the company’s broader ‘ESG Leadership’ commitments.

The four survey sessions also generated 9.75 hours of voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity, contributing to RPL’s annual biodiversity log and giving employees an opportunity to take an active role in supporting the natural environment alongside day-to-day operations.

Carl Griffin added: “Thank you to everyone from RPL and RPSE who took part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count, and to the Biodiversity team for helping to organise the sessions. Each person’s voluntary contribution has helped us capture another useful snapshot of the wildlife present across our site.

“Our 238 sightings may only represent a small part of the more than 1.6 million butterflies recorded nationally, but they still contribute to something much bigger. When combined with thousands of other observations across the UK, they help build a clearer picture of how butterfly populations are changing and why biodiversity matters.”