Is spring peeking through? Look out for the first signs

As the Christmas decorations are packed away for another year, an annual survey tracking the earliest signs of spring is officially underway in the UK.

Now in its third year, the Signs of Spring survey 2026 invites members of the public to get involved and seek out the first indications of new life emerging from the dark winter days.

The nationwide interactive survey was an initiative first launched in 2023 by leading environmental education charity the Field Studies Council in partnership with the Royal Society of Biology.

Species to spot

Members of the public are asked to record when they first see 10 different indicators of warmer weather: flowering bluebells, bumblebees, butterflies, daffodils in bloom, dragonflies/damselflies, frogspawn, hazel catkins, active ladybirds, first cut of the lawn, and snowdrops in bloom. Last year's most prevalent species sightings were of snowdrops and bumblebees.

This year we're keen that people record their bluebells, daffodils, and snowdrops when the flowers are in bloom and look out for active, rather than hibernating, ladybirds and bumblebees.

Reasons to get involved

Susie Rabin, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the RSB, said: “A great way to lift the spirits in the early months of the new year is by getting outside to spot the first signs of spring, such as the first snowdrops, daffodils, or bumblebees.

It can be really uplifting to take note of what you see, whether you’re walking to your local shops, visiting your local park, or heading out further afield into the countryside. The data collected through the survey is invaluable for documenting the effects of climate change on the natural world around us year on year.”

Dan Asaw, Biodiversity Training Programme Leader for the Field Studies Council, said: “The results from this survey give us a real critical overview of the UK’s springtime biodiversity, and we have been blown away by the response from the public over the last two years.

The more data we collect, the more informed our research is, and we already know that citizen scientists have an important part to play in our work, seeking out the first annual sightings of plants and insects.

Absolutely anyone can get involved, from school children to pensioners – and it’s a great reason for more people to get outside and enjoy the natural world around them.”

What happens to the data?

The data received will feed into a live map which will show where signs of spring are being spotted. Once complete, this set of UK-wide biological records will be combined with results from previous years' surveys, in combination with future surveys, and used to help monitor the impacts of the climate crisis on nature.

Access the survey

Add your sightings to the survey.