Worcestershire Record No. 25 November 2008 p. 17

Ross Piper

On May 15th, 2002, very large numbers of Stenostola ferrea were seen around the recently coppiced stools of small leaved lime which are cut in rotation throughout the wood (SO 380266). Both males and females were found flying around the coppice re-growth in the very warm weather. The density and behaviour of these beetles indicates they were probably teneral and were aggregating, feeding and mating in close proximity to the larval habitat before the initiation of the dispersal phase. A return to the wood on May 29th, 2008, revealed that the small leaved limes in the area of the 2002 discovery had grown considerably and no S. ferrea were seen. However, a single female was discovered and photographed at SO381265. The 2002 observation provides anecdotal evidence that the early stages of coppice re-growth in sheltered glades is very beneficial for this longhorn.