West Midlands Butterfly Conservation are appealing for volunteers to join them in efforts to save Worcestershire’s rarest butterfly. 

The Grayling butterfly only occurs within the county on the Malvern Hills but has declined significantly over the past 10 years.

Volunteers are planning a conservation task on Monday 30th January to carry out scrub clearance around North Hill where the remaining populations are found. 

Volunteers will be meeting in North Hill Quarry car park and tools and work gloves will be provided.

Branch volunteer Mel Mason is organising the work and said: “The Grayling butterfly has been recorded along the eastern slopes of the Malvern Hills since at least 1853 and once occurred along the full length of the hills.  Its range has declined dramatically in recent years and it is struggling to survive. 

"The butterfly needs bare rocks open to the sun around which they fly during a few short weeks in July and lay their eggs on short tufts of fine grasses. Unfortunately, many of these favoured areas are becoming smothered by encroaching gorse, broom and bramble, which is bad news for the butterfly. 

"We are hoping that the planned work will make a real difference but we need lots of help to achieve our goal”.

Butterfly Conservation is working together with the Malvern Hills Conservators so that the future of the butterfly can be secured. 

Work over the past two years has already removed considerable scrub from around some of the rocky outcrops on North Hill with encouraging results. 

Anyone interested in helping with this crucial work should contact Mel Mason.