The Essex Naturalist
21
Review of the Macrolepidoptera of Essex for the year 1996
Brian Goodey
298 Ipswitch Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 4ET.
Introduction
Two events during 1996 have greatly transformed the way in which recording is
done in the county. These were deemed necessary in order to bring a more
modern approach to the way we do things and is somewhat in line with methods
operated by some other counties.
Firstly, the Essex Moth Group was launched in January under the joint
auspices of the Essex Field Club and Colchester Natural History Society, and
through its newsletter (first published in spring 1996) has helped to keep
recorders in touch with each other and inform of recent developments
countywide, as well as continually encouraging its readers to send in notes and
observations - particularly of common species that often tend to be ignored.
This has produced a veritable avalanche of data which, by 1997, shows no signs
of abating. As well as field meetings (which of course all EFC members are most
welcome to attend) "County Moth Nights" are arranged allowing lamp operators
to run their traps on predetermined evenings, which provides us with a snapshot
of the moths flying at specific times of the year. These have proved most
successful. A spin off to the group's activities has been an embryonic increase of
interest in other orders of invertebrates that are sometimes attracted to light,
something we wish to encourage further.
Secondly, in order to cope with this increase in information, a database was
set up on computer that steers away from the traditional ten kilometre square
units of recording (although this system is still available for national mapping
purposes) in favour of one kilometre squares and site names. Thus, the data
received can now be manipulated more easily and can be arranged to produce
reports based on species, sites, recorders, dates, a variety of recording units, etc.
At present I have almost completed this task and have managed to include over
13,000 entries (gleaned from approximately 30,000 suitable records), mostly
from 1990 onwards. Whether time will permit the inclusion of the majority of
pre-1990 records remains to be seen.
The effort required to set up the database has been considerable and has not
been without problems. I am conscious that field workers have had to wait
longer than usual for replies to letters or to have their data processed, for which I
apologise. I am hopeful of clearing the remaining backlog soon and even being
able to do some recording myself!
When supplying records it is important to provide as much clear information
as possible, especially where dates are concerned or details of the more difficult
to identify species. 'Validation of records' is a term often heard these days and
rightly so. The database allows a question mark to be entered against un-proven