Moths Count Ne wsl etter 2012 Teenage kicks! The National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS) is officially a teenager (not in terms of years, although sometimes it does feel that way) but in terms of the number of records it holds; a staggering 14.1 million macro-moth records from the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. The NMRS database contains almost three million more records than were published in the Provisional Atlas of the UK’s Larger Moths Mother Shipton (R. Thompson) at the end of 2010 and, since last year’s newsletter, we’ve received an additional 2.3 million moth records from the moth recording community. We’ve been inundated with records A further four million moth records were submitted to us from County Moth Recorders, Record Collators and Local in refreshed local datasets between December 2011 and Record Centres; local datasets comprising some eight million April 2012. Les Hill our Database Manager is currently records were su bmitted between July and the end of processing these records for incorporation into the NMRS November 20 11, and all of these records were refreshed database and there will be a further NBN Gateway refresh on the Moths Count website ( www.mothscount.org ) in late summer. As reported previously we will only have and on the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Gateway one data refresh on the NBN Gateway in future years. in early May. In order for County datasets to be included we must receive them by 31st March at the very latest each year. There are other moth datasets available on the NBN Gateway, however, the NMRS is not responsible for them Moth neither can we guarantee their accuracy. Even within the NMRS dataset and despite all the verification checks Night provided by expert County Moth Recorders a few errors and omissions are expected. If you spot any obvious ‘clangers’ 2012 please contact us or the relevant County Moth Recorder. Don’t forget to The lion’s share of moth records in the NMRS database submit all your records continue to come from England (80%), with Wales ( 10% ), for Moth Night 2012 Scotland (8%), Northern Ireland (1%), Channel Islands (21-23 June) by (0.8%) and Isle of Man (0.2%) making up the remainder. 30th November. Visit www.mothnight.info Vice-county (VC) datasets vary in size. South Hampshire and Hertfordshire are by far the largest. Since last year’s to enter your records . newsletter we have received additional data for Dorset making it the third largest dataset in the NMRS. >> 02 Moths Count Newsletter 2012 >> The number of historical (pre year 2000) records in the Recording coverage reflected in the NMRS database has NMRS database is steadily increasing (figure 1), which is increased significantly since the first dataset was imported great news, although the proportion of historical records in December 2007. The map (figure 2) shows the number is decreasing over time – i.e. the difference between historical of macro-moth species recorded per 10km square. and modern is increasing. Many County Moth Recorders The darker the colour the more species recorded, 10km have now incorporated the Biological Record Centre (BRC) squares that are white have either not had any moths and Rothamsted Insect Survey (RIS) data into their local recorded in them or the data for those particular squares datasets. These historical records provide an important have not been submitted to us by the relevant County Moth baseline upon which analyses of species range changes Recorder. Only 7% of 10km squares do not have records can be assessed. In terms of historical records, the top three due to no recording or non-submission of data. If you want vice-counties for each country are listed below (table 1). to help to fill in the gaps we advise that you get in touch On average 39% of records in each VC dataset are from with the relevant County Moth Recorder prior to going on before the year 2000, but there is much variation. Sixty-two a targeted moth-ing trip. VC datasets are below average and eight vice-counties have not submitted any pre 2000 records at all! The latter 1 to 100 Species is particularly disappointing as it means there can be no 101 to 200 Species assessment of distribution change over time for any moth 201 to 300 Species species in these counties, until the situation is addressed. 301 to 400 Species 401 to 500 Species Table 1: Top three vice-counties per country with the 500 + Species highest percentage of historical (pre 2000) records. Vice-county No. historical % of historical records records England Oxfordshire 44,223 85.0 Surrey 124,850 71.6 North Northumberland 46,402 69.9 Wales Montgomery 20,127 22.1 Glamorgan 69,402 23.2 Radnorshire 8,540 24.5 Scotland North Ebudes 13,719 95.6 Mid-Perthshire 37,554 75.2 Peebleshire 6,107 75.1 Northern Londonderry 1,549 49.2 Ireland Armagh 12,475 48.9 Down 26,722 41.3 16 14 s d r 12 o Figure 2: NMRS Macro-moth species density at 10km square c e resolution. The darker the colour the greater the number of R ) 10 s h t n species recorded. o o i l 8 l M i f m o ( r 6 e In contrast with the ‘white-holes’, on average 157 moth b m 4 species have been recorded per 10km square. The most u N 2 species rich square is WA50 on Alderney in the Channel Islands where 519 macro-moth species have been recorded, 0 2010 2011 2012 followed by TR02 near Dungeness, Kent 513 species and SY79 near Dorchester, Dorset where 506 species have been Figure 1: Cumulative number of all moth records and historical recorded to date. The top five 10km squares for the number (pre 2000) moth records in the NMRS database since 2010. of macro-moth species recorded are listed in table 2. 03 Table 2: Top five 10km squares - number of macro-moth species Two moths (Six-spot Burnet and Silver Y) are again featuring in this year’s Big Butterfly Count ( www.bigbutterflycount.org ), 10km square Location Number of which takes place from Saturday 14th July to Sunday 5th moth species August. In last year’s Big Butterfly Count, Six-spot Burnet WA50 Alderney, Channel Islands 519 numbers were up and it was the tenth most abundant species TR02 Dungeness, Kent 513 reported, with 10,932 being seen by participants. The Silver Y SY79 Nr. Dorchester, Dorset 506 was scarce during the 20 11 Count and was ranked 21st with only 562 individuals being recorded. The Big Butterfly Count SU50 Nr. Fareham, Hampshire 503 takes only 15 minutes of your time and is a great way to help SY58 West Bexington, Dorset 487 raise awareness and support conservation, even if you already take part in moth recording and other schemes. Last year So far the NMRS database holds records for 860 34,000 people took part and we’re hoping for even more macro-moth species which have been recorded in the UK, in 2012. Channel Islands and Isle of Man. The most widespread moths are Silver Y and Large Yellow Underwing both Day-flying moths are also counted in the Wider Countryside species have been recorded in over two-thirds of 10km Butterfly Survey (WCBS). In 2011, 41 moth species were squares. The top five macro-moth species recorded in reported by WCBS volunteers and 40 new 10km square the NMRS are listed in the table below. records were generated. The most widespread species was Table 3: Top five most widespread macro-moths at 10km resolution the Silver Y and the most abundant species was the Six-spot Burnet. Encounters with day-flying moths are great to Common name Taxon % coverage introduce people to moths and moth recording and to help dispel myths and misconceptions about moths. Silver Y Autographa gamma 69.9 Large Yellow The Humming-bird Hawk-moth had a good year in 20 11. Underwing Noctua pronuba 68.9 Our simple online survey (www.butterfly-conservation.or g/ Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata 66.1 migrantwatch) aimed at members of the public gathered Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha 65.7 9,096 individual sightings from over 8,000 people. Many more Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata 64.1 records were received than in previous years and it was the greatest total for the Humming-bird Hawk-moth in Britain and Ireland in a year. We thank each and everyone who has supported the NMRS by submitting records or through donations. Special thanks go to the moth recording community and the County Moth Recorders in particular. Without your efforts it would not be such a successful scheme. Butterfly Conservation is keeping its commitment made at the beginning of the Moths Count project to sustain the NMRS in the long-term, beyond the duration of Heritage Lottery Funding. We are very grateful to ongoing funding from the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Redwing Trust, Royal Entomological Society and Scottish Natural Heritage. Silver Y (D M Walters) The NMRS data is already being used within Butterfly Are you missing Conservation and partner organisations for conservation and out on E-moth? policy work. Over the year ahead we will be using the NMRS data to make a start on an updated macro-moth species E-moth is an electronic newsletter from the Moths status assessment with Natural England. The NMRS data Count project. If you would like to receive it, please will also be used with updated Rothamsted Insect Survey contact Butterfly Conservation (01929 400209) or trends in a new State of Britain’s Larger Moths report which ([email protected]) with your email address.