Butterfly Conservation is encouraging wildlife enthusiasts to celebrate 250 years of butterfly recording in Hampshire by getting outside and taking note of what they see.

The first butterflies to be officially recorded in the county were seen on March 8, 1776, by famous naturalist Gilbert White near his home village of Selborne.

In his journal Flora Selborniensis, Gilbert noted sightings of the distinctive sulphur-coloured brimstone butterfly and the orange and black small tortoiseshell – both species which can still be seen today.

These butterflies are often among the first to emerge each year and this year both butterflies were recorded on the wing in early January.

To celebrate the butterfly recording milestone, Butterfly Conservation’s Hampshire and Isle of Wight branch are asking people to download the free iRecord app to record any butterflies they see in the coming months.

Branch spokesman Richard Lemon said: “The results will help Butterfly Conservation monitor how individual species are doing in Hampshire and to decide where to concentrate future conservation work.

“It might not be very warm yet but, like Gilbert White, there is every chance you will still see a brimstone butterfly or a small tortoiseshell while out on a walk or in your garden. And thanks to our free app, it really couldn’t be any easier to record what you see and to let us know about it.”

The free iRecord Butterflies app can be downloaded from iTunes or Google.

A small display to mark the 250th anniversary of butterfly recording in Hampshire is also on show throughout March at the Gilbert White House Museum in Selborne.