Archive news

Dorset Dragonfly Group Meeting - there is a Dorset Dragonfly Group meeting scheduled for Wednesday March 10th at the Dorset Wildlife Trust Head Quarters, Brooklands Farm, Forston, Dorchester , DT2 7AA which would be from 6 pm - 7.30 pm - see news and views.

Wiltshire Moth Group meeting - The Wiltshire Moth Group will be holding an informal south Wiltshire meeting on Monday 22nd February at 7pm at the Victoria & Albert PH,
Netherhampton, SP2 8PU. Anyone interested in moth recording in Wiltshire is welcome including those from over the border in Dorset and Hampshire as the southernmost part of Wiltshire is poorly recorded. So join us for a bite to eat, a drink and good conversation about moths. The new county moth recorder, Marc Taylor, will be present to answer your questions and gather your records. Netherhampton is about 2 miles west of the centre of Salisbury, just off the A3094, grid ref. SU108298. Please let John Muggleton know if you intend to come.

Marc Taylor & John Muggleton ( email on jmuggleton[at]aol.com or respond via link on UK Moths yahoo website http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukmoths/ ).

Dorset Dragonfly Group Meeting - I would like to invite you all to a Dorset Dragonfly Group meeting scheduled for Wednesday March 10th at the Dorset Wildlife Trust Head Quarters, Brooklands Farm, Forston, Dorchester , DT2 7AA which would be from 6 pm - 7.30 pm.

It would be a good opportunity to discuss the current state of recording in Dorset and focus recoding in key areas for key species in the season ahead.

The format of the meeting will be that of an open forum so there are plenty of chances to contribute ideas and information. Items which we would like to discuss will include:

Current state of recording on Dorset , where are the records coming from?
Where are the 'hot spots', sites rich in species which we could begin to plot to get a better picture of dragonfly biodiversity in the county.
Are there any particular species we could target for extra effort in trying to record, e.g the small red damselfly, scarce chaser, scare blue tailed damselfly, should we record these while carrying out casual monitoring or wait for a lead from the BDS to target monitoring on individual species.
There are areas of Dorset which are unrecorded and under recorded, discuss possible approaches to fill in the gaps in our knowledge – how best can we monitor these areas?
Other ideas to develop & promote Dorset Dragonfly Group, website development, publicity, further meetings, identification days, walks etc
A book on the Dragonflies of Dorset
Monitoring the ponds that have been created or restored as part of the Purbeck Ponds Project.

This area few ideas for discussion, if there are any other issues and areas that people want to raise could you please email me for inclusion. Please could you reply to say that you can or can't attend so I have some idea of numbers.

Andrew Brown

Dorset Dragonfly Recorder

The latest issue of E-moth, the electronic only update of the Moths Count project and National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS) is now available. The newsletter includes details of our upcoming moth recorders conference in Birmingham on the 23^rd January 2010 and gives an update on the exciting progress of the NMRS. Follow link.

Trip to Slovenia 31st July to 7th August 2010 - Now fully booked - following overwhelming interest and consequently profits should realise £7000 for the Trust.

“Butterfly Conservation's European Interests Group (EIG - http://www.bc-eig.org.uk ) are organising a special trip to Slovenia next summer to raise money for the Hungarian Natural Heritage Trust based at Kercaszomor situated within the Őrség National Park in south-west Hungary. The EIG has had a history of involvement with the Park in recent years and is keen to support the work of the Trust which has already purchased 18 hectares of land that it manages for butterflies, notably the four Large Blue species, and for moths, especially the Golden Eggar, Willowherb Hawk and Reddish Buff. The Trust is now hoping to develop a Conservation Centre to provide accommodation for researchers and visitors alike. The tour will take place from 31 July - 7 August, spending the first half of the week in the Julian Alps and the rest in the limestone karst area around Mt. Nanos near the coast. A very good range of Alpine species including Apollos, many different Fritillaries and Erebias, including very local species like Lorkovic's Brassy Ringlet, Styrian & Stygian Ringlet, will be targeted. The tour will be led by Mike Williams, Vice Chair of the EIG, and run in conjunction with Greeneye Ecotours ( http://www.greeneye.org.uk ) who have offered to organise the tour on a non-profit basis. Further details are available from Mike on 01299 824860 or mike@stagborough.fsnet.co.uk” - contributed by P Davey.

Painted Lady count - Butterfly Conservation’s UK-wide count of Painted Lady’s - 30^th May 2009

In the UK millions of Painted Lady butterflies have arrived in recent days and more are likely to arrive with sunny weather and favourable winds forecast over the coming weekend.

There is a unique opportunity to get better information on the nature and scale of this spectacular and unprecedented migration by taking part in a UK-wide count. Butterfly Conservation are inviting interested recorders to carry out a two hour sample count from 11:00 -13:00 (UK time) on Saturday 30th May. This will enable objective comparison with all other sites recorded in the same way.

The data can be entered online at Butterfly Conservation’s website. http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/sightings/1097/painted_lady_butterfly.html

Simply record the total number that you see flying through your set search area over the full two hours of observation (including the 10% or more that are likely to stop briefly to feed before carrying on migrating). Your search area will either be your garden or over a 20 wide strip of countryside (10m either side of where you stand stationary for the two hours). Pick somewhere with a good view and do not record beyond 20m.

If you do not see any add a zero count - negative records are equally important.

In the notes box of the sightings form – add in this information, with a new line for each (1) confirm that you carried out a full sample count by adding in the time “11:00-13:00”. (2) add ‘OK’ to confirm that the weather was suitable for butterfly flight (3) add your count area – either as ‘My garden” or “20m wide strip” for all other counts in suitable open terrain and (4) add the direction of migration eg “NW” for flying north-west.

Please continue to enter all other counts separately on the same website, including any counts made from 11:00-13:00 if the weather was not suitable for butterfly migration (cold, very windy) and counts made over different time periods and recording bands.

A small number of sites are needed for more intensive recording. If you are interested in taking part over a longer time period (6 hours or more) please email info@butterfly-conservation.org with the subject header Painted Lady Count.

Painted Lady invasion - there is no doubt that there is a remarkable movement of Painted Lady butterflies at the moment, with numerous counts on a broad front across Dorset and beyond. Observations made on the 25^th note that the direction headed is from between south and south-east to north and north-west and continues unabated from previous day, although numbers were fewer. From counts made between 1400 and 1500 at Shapwick, extrapolated at similar density over the county, suggest almost 2 million butterflies at any given time in the county on the day. Occasional singles only on migration still headed north-west to north after 6pm. Many basking on ground, and later seeking out roost sites or sparring with others energetically. Seems that the insects will roost overnight now that they are over land, and resume their flight when and if the sun is available to recharge their batteries tomorrow morning.

Behaviour today interesting. A very small percentage, maybe half a dozen per hour, were distracted by nectar sources in the garden including lavatera, rubus, geranium, etc., for five or ten minutes, then taking off again heading in the same direction as before. The house seemed to prove an obstacle causing momentary hesitation before flying vertically upwards and staright over the roof, whereas a few metres left or right would have been a far more efficient option. Usual behaviour was evident even though the insects were on migration, namely, sparring with others and challenging other butterfly species too for example Holly Blues, and even a bird on one occasion. Immigration flow was irregular, with groups of four or five, and then none for a time, although many singletons too.

Very similar weather set-up to that of June 5-7 1996. In that year, the wind veered to south-west after the main influx before becoming anticyclonic subsequently. This year they forecast west then north-westerly winds before becoming anticyclonic. So Friday onwards could be the start of a warm sunny spell, and so ideal for egg-laying; doubtless the remnants from this influx will still very much be in evidence over the coming week or so (Peter Davey).

The latest issue of E-moth, click here - the electronic only update on the Moths Count project and National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS). It includes the Moths Count training events for 2009 which have been confirmed to date and news about the continued growth of the NMRS database among other things. You will need Adobe Reader to open the document (this can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com/uk/ ).

Revised and updated guide for Crambinae - the grass moths - this is a pilot version and copyright is held by Berkshire Moth Group, so the usual restrictions about distributing printed copies apply. This excellent guide has kindly been made available by Nick Asher, and any comments can be emailed to the address included at the end of the guide. Click here.

New - British Moths and Butterflies - A photographic guide - by Chris Manley, DMG member. At last this long-awaited book has been published by A & C Black. In 352 pages it illustrates 1420 species, over 850 macros, 500 micros, 74 butterflies, 315 caterpillars by around 50 photographers; all 2250 photos of live insects. Alan Titchmarsh has kindly written a foreword describing the book as 'Sensational'! Priced at £24.99.

Following Chris's previous book, the Moths of Trigon, this new book has been eagerly anticipated, and I have not been disappointed. Most of the photos are excellent: clear, good colour definition, and being live insects, are shown in natural poses. The text is concise, giving B & F number, name and latin name, size, status, flight time and broad distribution and habitat, and any simple diagnostic feature, followed by foodplant, and finally with the photographers initials. For example, the entry for 1676 Mocha Cyclophona annularia reads "24mm Nb. May-Jun, Jul-Aug. Very local in southern England in mature maple woods. Unmistakeable moth with yellow and chocolate markings. FP Field Maple PGC". The selection of macros covered is fairly arbitrary, with photos of some species which have been recorded only once or twice i.e. Lorimer's Rustic, but there is no photo of the regular form of Map-winged Swift. The book itself, a paperback, is well produced, and easy to use, with a full index, and a list of larval foodplants.

It is particularly pleasing to see a collection of photographs of the more common micros, and I am sure this will be an invaluable aid to those of us who have trouble remembering the latin names of some of these species. In some ways although fulfilling much of what it set out to do, it could have gone one step further; there are plenty of books with photos of butterflies, and the small number of caterpillar and egg photos are of limited use, but to have had rather more micro photos would have been great - an opportunity missed.

I for one will have two copies, one for my bookshelf, and one for a quick reference guide for those micros, and would thoroughly recommend this as a very useful addition to your library. Terry Box.

Latest eMoth Newsletter for 2008, including details on the English Moth Recorders' conference in Birmingham on 31st January 2009. Click here.

Books for Lepidopterists - Good news for those of you who enjoy books on moths and butterflies (although not such good news for the wallet), is that there are a number of exciting books due to be published over the next few months. This includes Chris Manley's book reviewed above. Apollo Books (who now have taken over Harley Books) have a number of interesting publications due, including the long-awaited next volume from the Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland series. Books to look out for include:

The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland: Vol. 5: Tortricidae. Publication 2009. Approx. 500 pages and 40 colour plates. In two parts. Hardback. ISBN 87-88757-86-2. Price per part approx GBP 60.00 / € 95.00 / US$ 132.00 / DKK 660.00

Schintlmeister: A.: Palaearctic Macrolepidoptera. Vol. 1: : Notodontidae. Publication late 2008. 30 x 22.5 cm. Hardback. Approx. 400 pages incl. 48 high quality colour plates depicting a large number of specimens. Approx. 1800 black and white figures (maps and genitalia). ISBN 87-88757-77-3. EUR 140.00 / US$ 196.00 / DKK 980.00.

Redondo, V. M. et al.: Geometridae Ibericae. Publication late 2008. 29 x 21 cm. Approx. 350 pages incl. 22 colour plates. Genitalia drawings. Text fully bilingual Spanish/English. Hardback. ISBN 87-88757-69-2. Price approx EUR 130.00 / USD 180.00 / DKK 900.00.

Skinner B.: Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles. 3rd revised edition. Publication late 2008. 25 x 20 cms. Approx. 320 pages incl. 50 colour plates. 57 text figures. Hardback. ISBN 978-87-88757-90-3. Price approx GBP 48.00 / € 69.00 / US$ 99.00 / DKK 480.00.

Huemer, P. & O. Karsholt: Microlepidoptera of Europe. Vol. 6: Gelechiidae II. Publication mid 2009. 25 x 17 cm. Hardback. Approx. 520 pages. About 500 specimens will be illustrated on 20 colour plates. Not less than about 240 species will be covered in this volume. ISBN 978-87-88757-87-3. Price approx EUR 126.00 / US$ 196.00 / DKK 880. 00

National Moth Recording Scheme - latest Emoth April update newsletter now available here.

Moths Count is a partnership project led by Butterfly Conservation. The main aims of the project are to raise the awareness of moths, stimulate and encourage involvement, particularly in recording moths and to set up the National Moth Recording Scheme to gather the information necessary to understand and reverse the decline of moths. We think that is very important for people to be able to find out about moths and moth recording in their area and to get involved with their local group. The Moths Count website can be reached on (www.mothscount.org).

	Dorset Moths