Buttefly recorders

[Michael Walker]

Chris Raper wrote -
"I get a little worried that, in our eagerness to sign up
recorders, we are giving the impression that it is all very easy. In
reality a recording scheme is only as good as its recorders and many are
not carrying nets either because they have been told it isn't
necessary or for fear of being branded a 'collector'."

I take Chris' point but that is where the projects network of regional
co-ordinators step in.  Each County or group of Counties has someone who
enters all the data received onto computer who can check out any odd
records that come in from time to time.  I do this task for the
Nottinghamshire records and spend quite a lot of time on the telephone
talking to recorders about their records, especially when it is a species
well out of its normal range.  Unfortunately there are a few people out
there who like to release species into area where they do not naturally
occur.  A record of a Silver-washed Fritillary this year probably fall into
this category and we have a sizeable population of Marbled White at one
location that is probably the result of a relase a few years ago. 

In general I find that most of the new recorders tend to note down the few
species that they find in their immediate neighbourhood - often the first
records for the area of any species at all!  The scarcer butterflies, often
the more difficult to identify ones, are usually found by the more expert
and dedicated recorder, a few of which will no doubt use a net to confirm
the species seen, a method I have absolutely no problem with.

Michael Walker
Colwick, Nottingham.
michaelgwalker at lineone.net