80 The Essex Naturalist
buildings and posters were put up drawing attention to the survey. An
abbreviated version of the form was also printed in The Courier, a local authority
newspaper distributed to almost all 62,000 households in Colchester borough.
Publicity was also obtained in the local press and the survey was launched on
14th May 1996.
Results
Survey Returns
By the end of 1996, 494 responses had been received, comprising 346 from the
distributed leaflet (plus nine disallowed), 54 from publicity in The Courier and
73 from other sources (plus 12 disallowed). Records were disallowed if they fell
outside the survey area or obviously involved species other than L. cervus
(mainly Dorcus parallelipipedus and Carabus violaceus).
Distribution and abundance
Records were received from all over Colchester Borough and adjoining areas of
north-east Essex, with a bias towards the more heavily populated areas. Table 1
summarises the records by Parish. The present survey recorded 2,664 individuals
from 29 Parishes.
Table 1. Estimated numbers of stag beetles Lucanus cervus recorded per Parish 1996
Number of Number of
Parish individuals (estimated) Parish individuals (estimated)
Abberton 1 Layer-de-la-Haye 3
Aldham 1 Little Clacton 1
Arlesford 2 Little Horkesley 6
Boxted 29 Little Tey 1
Colchester 2198 Mistley 53
Dedham 22 Peldon 1
East Donyland 4 Rowhedge 15
Elmstead Market 5 Stanway 20
Gestingthorpe 2 Thorpe-le-Soken 1
Great Bentley 2 Tiptree 1
Great Bromley 1 West Bergholt 30
Great Horkesley 6 Wivenhoe 252
Great Oakley 2 Wix 2
Lamarsh 1 Wormingford 1
Langham 1
A direct comparison with Clark's 1963 and 1964 surveys is not valid as his
survey counted only live individuals and he had fewer observers at his disposal.
Also the length of the L. cervus life cycle 31/2 years) means that numbers of
adult individuals within populations vary from year to year in any given area.
Instances where singletons only have been recorded may reflect a tendency for