The meadow brown is one of the UK's most abundant butterflies but has declined by 32% since 1976. It is a key indicator of grassland biodiversity and welfare.
Meadow brown welfare depends on the availability of rough, unmanaged or lightly managed grassland with tall grass and a variety of grass species for larval development. Intensively managed grassland cut multiple times annually eliminates meadow browns within a few years. Roadside verge management that cuts at the wrong time and frequency — particularly summer cuts before larvae have pupated — has driven significant declines. A single late-summer annual cut is preferable for meadow browns.