Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 12
Briar Hill Coppice and the Droitwich Community Woodland have supported a thriving colony of Marbled Whites for many years. In 1996 and 1997 counts were in the hundreds. 1998 has been disastrous. This year not a single specimen has been recorded. I assume this has been due to the unusual weather with the very warm spell in February followed by a return to very cold conditions in early spring.
However, I have been interested in casual reports of this species turning up m places where it has not previously been recorded. For example, I have myself seen a few specimens on the road verges outside the Alexandra Hospital Redditch, which I have been recording for the 12 years since I moved there from the old hospital at Bromsgrove. These are the first records of this species at the site. I mentioned this on a few occasions and have since received more reports of Marbled Whites in new locations. I would be interested to gather additional data and if anyone can help I would like to know where the species has been seen, if it is an old or new site and, if possible, a rough estimate of numbers. Should the general picture be one of established colonies continuing to thrive I will have to look for an alternative explanation for the loss at Briar Hill.
Information can be left for me at Lower Smite Farm.
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