Last year was a bumper year for our local butterflies with a 75% increase on 2016 and one of the best years in the past decade.
Even our rarest butterfly, the Malvern Grayling, appeared earlier than ever on 23rd June and their population increased thanks to the hard work by Malvern Hills Trust and West Midlands Butterfly Conservation volunteers who spend many days in the winter months improving the habitat on the Northern Hills.
To celebrate this good news, West Midlands Butterfly Conservation, with the support of Malvern Hills Trust, AONB and Natural England, has produced a free colour leaflet called Butterflies Around the Malvern Hills to highlight all 33 species of butterflies found on the Malverns and some of the day-flying moths.
It includes information about each species and a large map shows the best sites. The Malvern Hills is one of the best regions in the UK to search for butterflies, and now is a good time to find many of the species.
Mel Mason from West Midlands Butterfly Conservation who leads the organisation’s work on the Malverns said “we hope that our new guide will promote awareness of the important butterflies to be found on the Malvern Hills, provide help to identify them and encourage more people to become involved in their conservation”.
The leaflet is available from Malvern Hills Trust Offices, Manor House, Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3EY. Tel. 01684 892002 Email: info@malvernhills.org.uk and Malvern Tourist Information Centre at the top of Church Street.
Become a volunteer with MHT and WMBC…
Volunteers make a big difference to the welfare of our butterflies and other wildlife. Get involved by contacting Malvern Hills Trust and Malvern Butterfly Group at mbg.records@btinternet.com.
For more information about butterflies visit West Midlands Butterfly Conservation’s regional website www.westmidlands-butterflies.org.uk
