Database of butterflies and moths

[Steve Cotterell]

To assist me in my researches, I have created a Microsoft Access database 
that contains the full indexes of (to date) seventy-six books and booklets 
about butterflies and moths, from all over the world.  A few are books for 
younger readers but the bulk are adult field guides, encyclopaedias, etc. 
 There are more books about British and European insects than any other 
individual country, because that's where I live, but African, north and 
south American, Asian and Australian insects are all well represented.  In 
all there are more than 35 thousand records in the database, which will 
continue to grow as I acquire additional books and add their publication 
and index details.

One or two books didn't contain indexes and so I indexed them myself.  The 
oldest book included is over 100 years old.

The database also includes about 180 Microsoft Word documents containing 
the results of researches that I've made when looking for information 
about specific insects.  Some documents are several pages long, others 
just a few lines. All documents are accessed via linked records within the 
database.

Obviously the database is of most use if one has the books that are 
indexed but it would still have a use to people without all the books in 
that it could be used to verify insect names, find alternative names and 
common names and access the information included on the documents 
described above.  There would be nothing to stop anyone adding the index 
details of their own library to the database if they wished.

The prime use I make of the database is that I can enter any latin or 
common name (or part of a name) and instantly be told on what page(s) of 
which book(s) information about that insect my be found.

Spelling mistakes do occur, most being replicated from the book indexes 
that I've scanned in.  I've tried very hard not to introduce errors of my 
own but, of course, can't swear that I haven't contributed any.

To use this database you need Microsoft Access 2000 and Microsoft Word 
2000 already installed on your PC.  Zipped into self extracting .exe files 
the database occupies two 3.5" floppies and the reference documents occupy 
another disk.

To install the database one would need to create a 
'C:\Data\Access\Butterfly database\Butterfly documents' directory 
structure and then extract the zip files into the relevant locations (the 
database goes into the 'Butterfly database' directory and the Word 
documents go into the 'Butterfly documents' directory).

I would now like to offer to share this database with anyone else who may 
be interested in using it.  I am not looking for money, rather I'd like to 
exchange copies of the database for copies of English-language books about 
butterflies and moths from around the world that I don't already have in 
my own library.  They don't have to be new books, but should be in 
reasonable condition.

If this proposition interests you, or if you would like a little more 
information, please email me at steve at scotrix.com

Kind regards
Steve Cotterell
www.scotrix.com

 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl