Moth Recording. (1 Viewer)

[Andy1979]

I thought it might be helpful to start a thread on how we record the moths we catch/find, other than recording date, species and numbers in a notebook on a day to day basis.

I'll start off by mentioning that I created three spreadsheets with the following headings:

No. Species. Status. Date. Location.

I have one for my life list (Macros), one for the year list (Macros) and one for Micros (which I don't pay enough attention to!).

I then submit each month's sightings to the Kent county recorder and any RDB/Na/Nb as and when they crop up. I wish there was an equivalent to BirdTrack for Moths, as my efforts aren't foolproof and I miss things, and cannot search back over records. I have also noticed that the threads around moth sightings by month don't mention rarity status, which would be helpful in getting a 'feel' for what's about in the rest of the country.

Any other/better ideas would be welcomed.

Andy M.

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Andy,
This year I am being lazy and just recording first dates of species. As this is all my CR does, I don't feel too guilty. (The previous two years I used an OpenOffice spreadsheet with dates across the top, a list of species down the side, and the no. of each species seen on a given date in the data entry boxes. I also use a colour coding system. Where I have photographed a moth, I shade the box yellow. Where I have kept a moth for dissection I colour it orange. I also mean to record larval records in purple but don't actually ID too many!
In addition to the above, which is for my CR, I have a spreadsheet with a list of all UK species and various headings such as 'seen in garden' 'seen in Surrey' 'seen in UK but not Surrey', 'photo on website' 'to be confirmed' etc. Using the facility to import arithmetical formulae, it is then straight forward to keep totals (with subdivisions for micros and macros) and 'potential totals'.
I also keep a list of macros I've seen but not photographed, for quick reference.
The reasons I use OpenOffice (apart from the fact it's free) are a) because my CR uses it and b) it has more columns than MS Office.
I don't usually bother my CR during the year unless I've got a 'mega' - e.g. when I got the 4th scarce silver-Y for Surrey, except to tell him when I've got a decent collection of moths waiting for dissection.
I try and file all my photos under date taken as this can provide a useful back-up if a record is queried. Not that I photograph every moth, of course.
Sorry, long answer to an interesting question.
Ken

 

[antshrike69]

I have an excel spreadsheet with species down the LHS by number and name, and dates along the top. I simply record the number of each species as I do each day's list. The total so far for each species for the calendar year tots up automatically. If I record mines or clearwings etc (ie not moths at the MV) I send these to the CR separately.
All photos are labelled by number and name and go into a single folder. Date is then accessible by looking at the file info. I have a separate folder called 'moth catch' with all the non-IDed micro photos of species awaiting dissection.
I have a separate spreadsheet of my garden list listing species and date of first record.
My CR gets swamped at year-end and prefers data submitted during the year, so I email him an editted spreadsheet every week or two of the recent trapping records. He does a stellar job, both with recording and dissection - it must be a nightmare getting thousands of records after Dec 31st! I think all the CRs should be applauded for the time they put in.

 

[Surreybirder]

! I think all the CRs should be applauded for the time they put in.

Certainly agree with this!
Ken

 

[Brian Stone]

OK, I created an Access database (I would have used Mapmate but already had Access). I record everything I trap and see, including recognisable non-lep species. A record comprises species, date, location, method, number, recognisable form, notes and gen det recorder. I can query this is any way I like. I normally send my records to the CRs annually by exporting the relevant data to a spreadsheet in the format they request.

 

[llendorin]

I use mapmate... it's just so much easier on both me, and my CR. I think most, if not all CRs use Mapmate these days. I also use Mapmate for my Odonata records, again, because it's just so much easier.

 

[socksitis]

I don't usually bother my CR during the year unless I've got a 'mega' - e.g. when I got the 4th scarce silver-Y for Surrey, except to tell him when I've got a decent collection of moths waiting for dissection.

ken, that is something I have no knowledge of - when do I know I have a mega or the 4th in the County - how do you know such information? I record with Mapmate - and the diary and export to the CR when I think of it - but I could not tell you when I have something out of the ordinary.

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, socksitis,
I didn't know it was a 4th but I knew that it was something rare. We are lucky in Surrey in that we have 'Larger moths of Surrey' by Graham Collins, which gives distribution maps for all macros recorded from 1980 - 1999 (approx) within VC17, as well as a summary of earlier records. If it's too rare to have a distribution map, there's a fair chance it's a 'mega' - though there are exceptions with recently arrived species such as hoary footman. We're working on the micro atlas now - probably to be published next year.
Ken

 

[Mike Cook]

Hi Ken,

My CR has issued two spreadsheets, one for VC67 and one for VC68. Against each species is the number of records for the vice county, the number of individuals recorded, and the years when the species was first and last recorded. I find this a very useful resource. Not only does this give me a relative abundance, but also lets me know if I have a "recent rarity", that used to be common but hasn't been recorded in the past few years.

I know he's got the records in Mapmate and I would guess he's got an SQL query that he uses to extract this data.

Mike

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Mike,
I can see that is a valuable resource.
I have most of that info in draft form but new micros are being added all the time. We've even had the odd first for the UK.
Cheers,
Ken

 

[billsbirding]

Hi, Mike,
I can see that is a valuable resource.
I have most of that info in draft form but new micros are being added all the time. We've even had the odd first for the UK.
Cheers,
Ken

Hi Ken,

Where did you get that information from? Does it show the recent macro records for Surrey? I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of them!

 

[antshrike69]

Our CR has a similar spreadsheet for Hunts - very handy for knowing whether you need to treble check an ID.

 

[Mike Cook]

Another resource that our CR has produced for the Northumberland vice counties is a list of macro species, each classified in one of five categories:

Grade 1
These are moths which are widespread and common in Northumberland. They will be easily identifiable by inexperienced observers. Records are unlikely to be queried.

Grade 2
Moths of a more restricted distribution or identification may be more difficult due to some confusion species. Most observers will have little trouble with these and again records are unlikely to be queried unless they fall outside the species’ normal habitat or flight time.

Grade 3
Moths which may be much harder to identify or which may be very local in the county. Rare moths which may be confused with commoner species. Many pugs fall into this category. Records from inexperienced recorders will be queried. A photograph or a voucher specimen is useful.

Grade 4
Rarities where there are very few Northumberland records. A good quality photograph or a voucher specimen is mandatory unless the observer is very familiar with the species.

Grade G
Genitalia examination is mandatory to exclude related species.

Again, this is an excellent resource but is something that needs to be produced on a vice county by vice county basis.

Mike

 

[Andy1979]

Do all the County recorders add to some sort of national database at Butterfly conservation? It seems to me that people seem to be doing different things in different counties. In the birding world, it is much more standardised with (a) national raritie(s) committee and the BTO producing the majority of hte data. Birdtrack is clearly an invaluable resource to this.
Are there any county recorders on this forum that could help with some inside knowledge on how the national recording of moths works and how they submit their records to the 'centre'?

 

[Surreybirder]

Do all the County recorders add to some sort of national database at Butterfly conservation? It seems to me that people seem to be doing different things in different counties. In the birding world, it is much more standardised with (a) national raritie(s) committee and the BTO producing the majority of hte data. Birdtrack is clearly an invaluable resource to this.
Are there any county recorders on this forum that could help with some inside knowledge on how the national recording of moths works and how they submit their records to the 'centre'?

Have you looked at www.mothscount.org ?

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi Ken,

Where did you get that information from? Does it show the recent macro records for Surrey? I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of them!

Hi, Billy
Basically, I attended one of Graham Collins and Jim Porter's 'jizz you up for fieldwork' meetings! But they are concentrating on a micro atlas for VC17 at the moment. As far as I know, there's nothing equivalent for macros since Graham's book.
Ken

 

[Andy1979]

Yes, I have looked through the site plenty of times. It gives some very useful information, but essentially just gives advice. I doesn't really go into any detail, hence my question. I'm just keen to learn more about moth recording locally and nationally...

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Andy,
I don't know a lot more than you except that clearly many of the records end up in a central database. The maps on uk-moths are generated from information which is credited. There are clearly gaps but the national coverage is fairly good.
E.g. if you look at: http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=1113&map=true it shows you where the data has come from.
Ken

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Does anybody have an excel spreadsheet template or even better a list of all the moths down the LHS and date and location etc along the top?

Cheers Jake

 

[antshrike69]

I edit my own as I go -each new species is added to the LHS as I record it for the first time, both on my master species list for the garden and my annual totals. Otherwise it would take me much longer entering species - many species are never going to occur in my suburban garden and would just get in the way of finding those I've recorded.