Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum

Bulletin No. 56 Affiliated to the British Entomological and Natural History Society Autumn 2003 Scheme Organisers Tipuloidea & Ptychopteridae - Cranefly Dr. R.K.A.Morris Mr A E Stubbs [email protected] 181 Broadway Peterborough PE1 4DS Summer 2003: Please notify Dr Mark Hill of changes:    Ivan Perry BRC (CEH) [ ][ ] 27 Mill Road, Lode, Cambridge, CB5 9EN. Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, co-organiser: John Kramer Tel: 01223 812438 Cambridgeshire PE28 2LS (Tel. 01487 772413) 31 Ash Tree Road Autumn 2003, Summer 2004: [email protected] Oadby, Leicester, LE2 5TE Peter Chandler Recording Schemes Sciomyzidae - Snail-killing Symposium  Graham Rotheray This year will see some substantial changes in the National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, Dr I F G McLean ways in which some Recording Scheme Organisers Edinburgh EH1 1JF, 0131.247.4243 109 Miller Way, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs archive and exchange records. Whilst all will read- [email protected] ily accept records in written form the following PE28 4TZ Membership symbols are used to indicate some of the known (or [email protected] surmised) methods by which Scheme Organisers [email protected] may currently receive records electronically: Mr A.P. Foster Mr M. Parker 9 East Wyld Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0RP  Recorder 23 The Dawneys, Crudwell, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 9HE Dipterists Digest  MapMate  [][][]  Microsoft Access Darwyn Sumner Peter Chandler  Spreadsheet (Excel) Hoverflies 606B Berryfield Lane, Melksham, Wilts SN12 6EL Square brackets indicate that the organiser can 01225-708339 handle records in the format indicated.  [][][] [email protected] Bulletin Potential recorders really need to know your Dr S G Ball preferred recording format so please inform 255 Eastfield Road Peterborough PE1 4BH the Bulletin Editor in time for an update of this [email protected] Darwyn Sumner guide in the next issue Mr R K A Morris 122, Link Road, Anstey, Charnwood, Leicester- Conopidae, Lonchopteridae and Otitidae [email protected] shire LE7 7BX. 0116 212 5075 Mr D K Clements Newsletter editor - [email protected] Representative 7 Vista Rise, Radyr Cheyne, Llandaff, Cardiff CF5 David Iliff 2SD Green Willows, Station Road, Woodmancote, [email protected] Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 4HW Ken Merrifield Culicidae - Mosquitoes Tephritid Flies [email protected] Prof. K Snow Mr Laurence Clemons Dept. Environmental Sciences University of East 14 St John’s Avenue London Romford Road London E15 4LZ Sittingbourne Patrick Roper [email protected] Kent ME10 4NE South View, Churchland Lane, Sedlescombe, East Dixidae - Meniscus midges Stilt & Stalk Sussex TN33 0PFSecretary Acting scheme organiser  [][][] Dr R H L Disney Darwyn Sumner University department of Zoology, Downing Street 122, Link Road, Anstey, Charnwood, Leicestershire John Kramer Cambridge CB2 3EJ 31 Ash Tree Road, Oadby, Leicester, Leicester- LE7 7BX. 0116 212 5075 shire, LE2 5TE. Drosophilidae - Fruit Flies [email protected] [email protected] Dr B Pitkin Study groups Web Manager Dept of Entomology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD Anthomyiidae Sepsidae Chris Raper Mr Michael Ackland 22 Beech Road, Purley-on-Thames, Reading, Mr. Adrian C. Pont 4 The Moors Kidlington Oxfordshire OX5 2AJ Berks RG8 8DS 38 Gatehampton Road, Goring on Thames RG8 [email protected] [email protected] 0EP Empid Website www.dipteristsforum.org.uk/ [email protected] Tachinid  [] Would the individuals listed above please Mr Adrian Plant check that I have all their details correct 3.3    [ ][ ][ ][ ] [email protected] and contact me if there is anything they Chris Raper Chironomidae wish to be added or amended. 22 Beech Road, Purley-on-Thames, Reading, Berks RG8 8DS Dr P.P. Roper The last full address list was published in Bulletin [email protected] South View Sedlescombe Battle East Sussex TN33 #50 Matthew Smith 0PE 24 Allnatt Avenue, Winnersh, Berks RG41 5AU Pipunculidae [email protected] Mr A E Stubbs (see Tipulids) Larger Brachycera Mr Michael Ackland (see Anthomyiidae)  Simulidae Simon Hayhow Dr R. Crosskey 15 Brookfield Road, Thornton Cleveleys, Lanca- c/o Dept of Entomology Natural History Museum shire FY5 4DR Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD [email protected] Workshops Mycetophilidae and allies - Fungus gnats Mr Peter J Chandler (see Dipterists Digest) David Heaver 5 Albert Road,Field Ledbury, Meetings Herefordshire HR8 2DN Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum Affiliated to the British Entomological and Natural History Society

Bulletin No. 56 Autumn 2003 ISSN 1358-5029 Bulletin Editor Darwyn Sumner Chairman Stuart Ball Secretary John Kramer Treasurer Jon Cole Membership Sec. Mick Parker Field Meetings Sec. Roger Morris Contents Indoor Meetings Sec.David Heaver Publicity Officer Patrick Roper Forum News...... 4 Ordinary Members Editorial...... 4 JCCBI representative John Dobson News from the schemes...... 5 Stuart Ball, Steve Falk, Mick Parkeris Sling Diptera Curator 6 Linking National Societies and Schemes (NBN & CEH) 7 Unelected Members Review...... 8 BENHS rep. Ken Merrifield Book reviews 8 Dip. Digest Editor Peter Chandler Invertebrate Conservation Trust 8 co-opted Alan Stubbs Record achievements...... 9 Notice board...... 10 Recording Scheme Organisers Membership Matters 10 Cranefly Alan Stubbs Membership List 2003 10 Fungus Gnats Peter Chandler Hoverflies S.Ball & R.Morris Meetings...... 13 Larger Brachycera Simon Hayhow Reports...... 13 Tephritid Laurence Clemons Field Meetings...... 13 Sciomyzid Ian McLean 2003 Summer Field Meeting...... 13 Conopid David Clements Forthcoming...... 14 Empid & Dollies Adrian Plant Autumn Field Meeting - Wiltshire 14 Anthomyiid Michael Ackland Annual Meeting...... 14 Dixidae R.H.L. Disney ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 16 Culicidae K. Snow Two-way Family Favourites Workshop...... 17 Sepsidae Adrian Pont Summer Field Meeting - Wiltshire 18 Tachinid Chris Raper Diary 2003/4 ...... 19 Stilt & Stalk Darwyn Sumner And now ...... 20 Fly sheets Articles submitted should be in the form of a word-processed file on disk or E-mail [email protected] Please Treasurer’s Account to 31 December 2002 submit in native format and Rich Text Format (.rtf). An Hoverfly Recording Scheme Newsletter #36 accompanying print-out would also be useful. Line artworks Sciomyzidae Recording Scheme Newsletter #3 are encouraged. Darwyn Sumner: 122, Link Road, Anstey, Dipterists Forum Starter Pack Charnwood, Leicestershire LE7 7BX. 0116 212 5075; Biological Records Officer at Leicestershire Environmental Resources Centre (Leicestershire County Council), 0116 267 1950 ext 24.

PUBLISHED TWICE YEARLY Obtainable via subscription to Dipterists Forum. Contact Mr M. Parker, 9, East Wyld Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0RP D i p t e r i s t s Fo r u m Bu l l e t i n Forum News

Editorial Darwyn Sumner Motion motion camouflage Dipterists Forum members have been featuring heavily in the media recently. Adrian Pont (accompanied by Doreen Werner) is investigating Oxfordshire’s blackfly plague Simulium( ), as reported in The Inde- pendent on Sunday. Roy Crossley’s work on Odontomyia hydroleon received a nice account (although slightly inaccurate he tells me) in the Times, this item was picked up by Radio 4’s “News Quiz” but in typical Crossley style his tales are far funnier than the panelists on that programme. Andrew Halstead, too, is becoming Radio 4’s choice spokesman concerning horticultural pests and has been spotted by me on several occasions. Finally, your humble editor spotted an item in New Scientist (28 June, p18) in which claims were made that hoverflies “prey” were capable of avoidance behaviour. Some unfortunate researcher had spent many hours analysing flight patterns from videos of hoverflies in order to establish a theory about “motion camouflage” (poor sap). The part of the work based on Odonata was undoubtedly valid but have you ever seen flowers trying to avoid hoverfly attack? I couldn’t resist the fact that hoverflies are occasionally recorded as feeding on dung and so was able to include a suitably coprophagic word in my response (New Scientist 19 July, p27 (Letters)). “Identity crisis” In contrast the Guardian gets praise for a bit of research on the mismatch between current education initiatives and the needs of the conservation “industry”. Pete Bowler’s article is still available at http://society.guardian.co.uk/so- cietyguardian/story/0,7843,1034041,00.html. Species identification, he observes, underpins all conservation work., yet precious few of the graduates from the hundreds of courses available, emerge with any skills at all in this area. Bowler points his accusing finger squarely at all tiers of education and television’s instant gratification whilst heap- ing praise on the band of amateur naturalists and their supportive societies which deliver all the legwork. You’ll be pleased to learn that the Natural History Museum, English Nature and Lancaster University have been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council to carry out a 3 year research project on this subject. Meanwhile there are flies to catch, natural history societies to support and Field Studies Council workshops to organise (and attend!) My letter is in the post My Latin teacher’s all-time favourite excuse from his pupils as they failed to hand in their howework on time was “Sir, it blew into a field and a cow ate it”. Those of us still with problematic deadlines can feel heartened however by the following piece which Ken Merrifield picked up in the library at Hengrave Hall this summer: “LEON TROTSKY wrote and revised in the original Russian the first seven chapters and the appendix of this book. He checked in the English translation the first six chapters and the appendix but not the seventh chapter. The first seven chapters were to have been cut and condensed after the writing of the book had been completed. Like most authors, Trotsky was more optimistic than accurate about the expected date of completion, and his case was aggravated not only by the excessive optimism of the revolutionist and the military leader but by continual harassments and attempts on his life. The date of completion was therefore deferred from time to time. Finally, he set August, 1940 as the “dead-line,” to use his own expression. But his manuscript was not complete on the twentieth of August, when he was struck down by his assassin. Two days later he died. The editor therefore left the first seven chapters and the appendix unrevised, except for a few deletions of repetitious material. Some of the manuscript of the unfinished portion was in Trotsky’s study, strung out in enormously long strips of many sheets pasted end to end, at the time of the murderous attack upon him, and in the struggle with the assassin portions of the manuscript were not only spattered with blood but utterly destroyed. Moreover, no part of this posthumous manuscript had been put in final form by the author. It was made up of notes to be more fully developed, of excerpts from the works of other writers, of various documents, of dictated material ...” (from “The History of the Russian Revolution” - probably)

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News from the schemes New Head of BRC Following Paul Harding’s retirement this June, Mark Hill (a bryologist, ecologist and statistician) becomes the new Head of Biological Records Centre. Paul Harding is not at a loose end either, he was persuaded to take up the recently vacated position of Secretary to the National Federation of Biological Recording. NBN News Current initiatives by the National Biodiversity Network Trust are currently of great importance to us since many of their efforts are devoted to providing assistance to the various Recording Schemes - of which we have several. They produce a quarterly newsletter which you will find much more informative than I can be (I try only to report back from sessions I’ve attended). If you want to keep up to date with developments then try to get on their mail- ing list: contact NBN Secretariat, The Kiln, Mather Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1WT or browse the NBN website. Darwyn Sumner Larger Brachycera Recording Scheme No newsletter this time although I do have a few short notes for the next one. Please consider contributing an article or note for the newsletter. I know of quite a few species studies underway so please use the newsletter to keep dipterists up to date with progress or to encourage comments or observations. It is hoped to produce a substantial newsletter in the winter, including some distribution maps of commoner species to give an idea of coverage. Hope- fully this will encourage an increase in the flow of records for the proposed atlas. Larger Brachycera were well recorded on our annual summer field meeting in Suffolk. The dry, sandy Brecks proved profitable for Asilidae although the very hot weather and dry conditions were less conducive to Strats, although there were still some good finds, mainly at the diptera-rich pingo sites. A full account of species recorded at the meeting appears elsewhere in the Newsletter but mention must be made of Machimus arthriticus. Thanks to work led by Malcolm Smart the species was found at several sites. Comparable sites were searched and, even though time was limited, these observations have added considerably to our knowledge of the species’ habitat requirements. Please keep the records and articles coming, Simon Hayhow Sciomyzidae - Snail-killing Flies Newsletter number 3 included with this bulletin Syrphidae - Hoverfly Recording Scheme Newsletter number 36 included with this bulletin Field Week Records Diptera records from 3 field weeks are currently about to be transferred into popular biological recording systems. The current tally is as follows: 1999 - 5640, 2000 - 833, 2001 - 2069 (plus several non-Diptera records). Taxa are in accordance with the up-to-date Chandler checklist and so transfer to Re- corder 2002 will only be feasible when the taxon dictionary is updated. It is my intention to pass records in this format to the Local Records Centres who have kindly provided assistance to us (Cornwall, Devon, Aberdeenshire and Suffolk) plus the Cranefly and Sciomyzid recording schemes or through MapMate to Diptera recording schemes who use this method. The master copy of the records will be the native MSAccess in which they were collated and compiled. Data loss inevitably occurs when transferring to another system and both Recorder and MapMate versions will be the best copies obtainable and registered to myself. Any contributors who have validation issues to raise or late submissions will be too late once I have my hands on the new Recorder taxon dictionary; it will not be possible to track 3 versions of the data. Darwyn Sumner

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Tephritid Flies Recording Scheme

Want an excuse for not having submitted any records to the scheme? Then put on that Blind Willie McTell record (any one will do) and sing this.

“I woke up this morning got tephritids on my mind I said I woke up this morning got tephritids on my mind I ‘rrived a day too late And they done left me behind (I got the Chalk Hill Blues)”

On 7th June this year I came across a magnificent piece of grassland teeming with all the right host plants e.g. black knapweed, creeping and spear thistle, wormwood etc. and in two hours found 11 species of tephritid. When I returned on 12th July the whole area, save for a narrow margin, had been mown to the ground and only 9 species turned up. Five species present on the first visit were absent, 6 species were common to both visits and 3 additional species occurred this time. I shouldn’t really complain however as 14 species from a single, rather small, site in just two visits represents a good list - most of the 4300+ sites on the database have produced less than 10.

Now adult tephritids, like most other Diptera, can have very limited flight periods and I did not really expect to findOxyna parietina again at my grassland site in the second week of July but consider this. On 5th August 2000 I investigated an area of coastal grassland and scrub at the extreme north-eastern tip of VC 16 and, during the sojourn, a remarkable total of 15 species of was recorded. A follow-up visit on 3rd August 2002, during which the same patches of host plants were swept or examined, revealed just 7. Therefore even being at the right place and at the right time cannot always guarantee a record.

Statistically, though, what is the best date on which to find the maximum number of tephritids? Oddly enough it is 12th July with 46 species i.e. cognata, Acanthiophilus helianthi, Anomoia purmunda, Campiglossa absinthii, Ceratitis capitata, Chaetostomella cylindrica, Chaetorellia jaceae, Campiglossa misella, Campiglossa plantaginis, Cryptaciura rotundiventris, Dithryca guttularis, heraclei, Euphranta toxoneura, Goniglossum wiedemanni, Myopites inulaedyssentericae, Noeeta pupillata, , Oxyna nebulosa, Philophylla caesio, Rhagoletis alternata, Stemonocera cornuta, Sphenella marginata, Tephritis bardanae, ceratocera, Terellia colon, Te- phritis formosa, Tephritis hyoscyami, Trypeta immaculata, Tephritis leontodontis, Tephritis matricariae, Tephritis neesii, Terellia plagiata, Terellia ruficauda, Terellia serratulae, Trupanea stellata, Terellia tussilaginis, Terellia vectensis, Tephritis vespertina, Terellia winthemi, cardui, Urophora cuspidata, Urophora jaceana, Uro- phora quadrifasciata, Urophora spoliata, Urophora stylata and Xyphosia miliaria. If we take July as a whole the figure rises to an impressive 69 species – practically the entire British fauna and the only species for which I have no records during that month are Anastrepha obliqua, Bactrocera cucurbitae, Campiglossa grandinata, Ceratitis cosyra, Chetostoma curvinerve, Dacus ciliatus, Platyparea discoidea, Plioreocepta poeciloptera, Taomyia marshalli, Tephritis praecox, Tephritis separata, Terellia fuscicornis and Trupanea amoena.

So, boys and girls, unless you find yourself in prison or hospital during July 2004 there can be no excuse for not finding a tephritid. And don’t think singing “I woke up this morning got trichocerids on my mind” will get you off the hook either.

Laurence Clemons Diptera Curator Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Cardiff

This post will be advertised within the next 2 months. If you are interested then check jobs.ac.uk or contact Dr Mike Wilson, Head of Entomology Section (email [email protected]) who will be able to inform those interested when the formal information will be available and the closing date for applications.

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Linking National Societies and Schemes (NBN & CEH) Dipterists Forum members received the formal introduction to this scheme from Trevor James at our last AGM. The National Biodiversity Network Trust, having made considerable progress with Local Records Centres, have now shifted the focus of their attention to national societies and recording schemes such as our own. In this they are aided and abetted by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, our own dear Biological Records Centre. A number of seminars and conferences have been organised by NBN/CEH in order to look at ways in which they may assist societies like our own in their efforts to develop biological recording. Dipterists Forum is always well represented at such meetings, I’ve seen Matt Smith, Stuart Ball, Alan Stubbs, Ian McLean and others at many of them and, courtesey of Leicestershire County Council, I’ve attended most of them too. It is important to keep a close eye on the progress of their activities; Dipterists Forum has long benefitted from the resources that CEH (formerly the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology) have had to offer, for example they published Stuart Ball and Roger Morris’s “Provisional atlas of British hoverflies”, continue to pay the postage cost of this Bulletin and are currently supporting specific recording initiatives (Cranefly Atlas). The CEH tell us that they are the “national custodian of data on the distribution of wildlife in the British Isles” and their efforts now go beyond publishing distribution maps in paper format. The hoverfly distribution data, for example, is now published on the NBN Gateway (www.searchnbn.net/). This is a site well worth visiting as it gives a clear idea of the range of suc- cessful projects that these two organisations have undertaken. It also gives an indication of how data from Local Records Centres plays a part in providing an overall picture of wildlife distribution in the UK. Three recent initiatives arising from NBN/CEH will be of interest to members: 1. The Species Dictionary project The Natural History Museum, with Graham Higley as Project Director, launched this Spring. It’s a sort of follow- on from the checklists provided with Recorder and is now a separate project handed over to the experts. The best way to see the current status of the work is to look at their website at www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn/. Don’t expect too much from the Diptera section, though, Stuart Ball’s working on this following lists given to him by Malcolm Smart and myself in March and you’re more likely to get your updated Recorder checklist via him. The project itself is a huge one and the impression gained from the launch in May was that they are keen to receive contributions from experts and any other contributors. Many ideas have cropped up after discussions with various people over the last few months, here’s a list of wants to be going on with: • An hierarchical tree structure for sytematical searching as seen in Recorder or even your own Windows Explorer (the NHM website uses the “letterbox” approach to finding taxa); it can be well implemented on websites, take a look at the Treeview Javascript site at www.treeview.net/ for several good examples. • The facility for downloading checklists for use in popular biological recording applications • The facility to download checklists of selected taxa in other formats (e.g. Word or Excel formats so that they may be used for collection label lists etc.). • The inclusion in these lists of unique identifiers (within all commonly available checklists) so as to facilitate cross matching with other lists currently being developed by “experts” • The facility to print checklists of selected taxa • The inclusion of non-endemic taxa to facilitate research work on relationships in a world-wide context (e.g. include the Families Diopsidae & Coenomyiidae even though there are no UK species) • A mechanism for experts to update checklists at frequent intervals (this may require the writing of a specific application) • The facility to accumulate personal lists of references and libraries linked to individual taxa (this certainly needs a specific application - liaising with existing “literature reference managing” software developers - e.g. EndNote - might be of value) If you have any more suggestions they would like to hear from you on 0207 942 5213, email [email protected] 2. Seminar held in September 2003: “Promoting Access to Data” (see “Record achievements”) 3. NBN “Working with Volunteers Advisory Group” The remit for this group is very vague to me at the moment (it is very early days) although it has been suggested that part of it will involve a steering group to look at relationships between National Societies and Schemes and Local Records Centres. I’ve been invited onto this group as I have a foot in both camps. Expect to hear more from this group and keep checking the NBN website for notices of their planned sessions and initiatives. Darwyn Sumner

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Book reviews A provisional checklist of the invertebrates recorded in Wales by M.A.Howe (Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru: Countryside Council for Wales 2002) 3. Brachyceran flies (Diptera: Xylophagidae to Dolichopodidae) Like the best of the old county floras, the subject is covered with a thoroughness that puts Diptera firmly on the map of Wales. All the Welsh Red Data Book species are discussed in detail and distribution maps are provided for each. Mike sets a high standard with this work (and repeats it in his article on Coastal Soft Cliffs in June’s “Brit- ish Wildlife”) A review of the invertebrates associated with lowland calcareous grassland by Keith Alexander, English Nature Report Number 512. Northminster House, Peterborough PE1 1UA Written to support the UK Biodiversity Action Plan in respect of “Lowland Calcareous Habitat Action Plan”, this report contains an interesting few pages of discussion on the Diptera in this report. There are a number of useful tables detailing “fidelity”, “continuity”, “structure of habitat”, “food” and “status” for a number of groups (only for spiders, bugs, larger moths, hymenoptera & beetles) for this habitat. The absence of a “full review” for the Diptera is of concern; as Keith points out, this is because “ecological knowledge is notably incomplete in large sections of the fauna.” A review of the invertebrate interest of coarse woody debris in England by Andy Godfrey, English Nature Report Number 512. Northminster House, Peterborough PE1 1UA A fine piece of research on what must surely be one of the most difficult microhabitats to track down.Andy gives a sound background to research into the range and distribution of woody debris in English streams and proceeds to detail the various obligate xylophagous species inhabiting it. Diptera are, of course, the largest group. Darwyn Sumner Invertebrate Conservation Trust Information about the activities of this organisation are widely distributed, I can only give a brief outline of their activities here. Your main source of information, of course, is their website at http://www.buglife.org.uk/ from where the link to the UK Biodiversity website’s “Find a habitat” section [http://www.ukbap.org.uk/habitats.htm#Priority] will provide endless hours of fun. Matt Shardlow also wrote an interesting introductory article in the April edition of Antenna. Chris Spilling tells me “I have just received the following three 2003 publications from Buglife in the series “Man- aging Priority Habitats for Invertebrates” (18 volumes) a) Vol 10 Larger Brachycera - Soldier Flies, Beeflies, Stiletto flies, Robber flies. Horse flies and Allies compiled by Andy Godfrey b) Vol 15 Syrphidae - Hoverflies compiled by Andy Godfrey c) Vol 17 Tipulidae and Allies - Craneflies compiled by Alan Stubbs. Chris added: Matt Shardlow (Conservation Director for Buglife) provided me with some information yesterday to pass on. He and English Nature representatives have met and agreed that it would be a good idea if SSSI guidelines for Invertebrates were reviewed and developed. In the first instance assemblages associated with habitats would be considered and would probably start with a group where there is good data on distributions and reasonable information on required habitats e.g. Hoverflies. The first meeting to kick off the process is provisionally booked for Sept 17th morning and will most likely be held in Peterborough. If you would like to be involved and think you could provide a valued contribution please contact Matt at [[email protected]] or on 01733760881. Darwyn Sumner

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Record achievements Distribution maps The classic distribution maps, ranging from the old Vice County maps of old to the current “spotty maps” have been our traditional guide. Augment this with a little reading about more recent finds and a plan for your annual expedi- tion (that’s “holiday” to one’s partner) emerges. Distribution maps, however, are published at long intervals and only for the more popular groups; nowadays we can do a little better than this. Through the medium of the internet we are gradually moving to a position where we might view a constantly updating picture of distribution through the Gateway. Look at dragonflies on the Gateway at www.searchnbn.net and you will see this in action. Time will tell just how this might be achieved with Diptera although Ian McLean has plans to use it for the Sciomyzidae. We can, however, obtain a view of species distribution on home computers. Both MapMate and Recorder will do this job for us but this rather depends on setting up effective sharing mechanisms amongst the community of Dipter- ists. A small group of us are trying these out with Diptera at the moment. Adrian Plant currently uses MapMate to share records in his Empid Recording Scheme and data from selected groups arising from the various Dipterists Forum Field Weeks are also being exchanged between myself and Ken Merrifield. On the Recorder front, testers of Stuart Ball’s Import Wizard (as demonstarted at our Preston Montford workshop) have achieved much progress. For example I’ve managed to convert a 24,000 record Fungus dataset from MSAccess - this has proved possible because the BMS checklist is current. The picture is changing rapidly and whilst there are problems to surmount (e.g. the imminent Diptera checklist for Recorder), very shortly there will be a considerable increase in the amount of shared Diptera data passing between us all. Sharing information with others Whilst sharing information amongst people with similar interests is of importance, there are a number of other groups with a legitimate and significant interest in our data. The extent to which this information may affect management practises will vary. Feedback to landowners who have been kind enough to grant permission for site visits on our expeditions is of importance. Share the information with English Nature, CCW, SNH or a Wildlife Trust and there is a good chance of influencing management. Share it with a Local Records Centre and the influence will be more im- mediate since the records then play a part in the local planning processes and conservation of the site may result. The recent seminar hosted by the NBN, “Promoting Access to Data”, addressed a number of issues concerning the sharing of data. Leaving aside the technical problems that have to be surmounted before this sharing can take place (the subject of the next “Linking National Societies and Schemes” annual conference in November), the NBN Trust have again provided us with some useful management tools. Under the title “Products and services” on their website there are a whole host of interesting items, some very useful indeed (e.g. the Vice County boundaries), others in the fledgling stages which are perhaps best bypassed for now (e.g. Metadata) and others which are rather heavy-going but no doubt of considerable value to those with management or project planning inclinations (but I suppose they mean us too.) I’ve rarely found the issues surrounding confidentiality and ownership rights to records too difficult to resolve but these are evidently problematic issues for recording in some groups. The website offers a handful of documents which should help resolve them when they arise, so your recommended reading from the site is as follows: “Data Exchange Principles”, “Data Exchange Licence Agreements” and the two Model Licence Agreements on Collation and Custodianship. If you really want to make your study as short and to the point as pos- sible then just skip directly to the “NBN Model Recording Form Statement” and read the first page. This batch of stuff formed the core of the “Promoting Access to Data” seminar. Combine these topics with some useful contacts and conversations with Herpetologists, Lichenologists, fellow Lancastrian agents of SNH, seaweed recorders and the odd BWARS man, sprinkle with the much repeated word “resources” and some pretty smart footwork by the NBNT’s Oliver Grafton and you’ve now got a pretty fair impression of the September seminar. Darwyn Sumner

I s s u e #56 Au t u m n 2003 9 D i p t e r i s t s Fo r u m Bu l l e t i n Notice board

Dr. J. Bowden,4, The Chantry, Lexden, Colchester, Essex, C03 3Qr **71 Membership Matters 03/31 Mr R.Boyce, 447C, Wokingham Rd, Earley, Reading, Rg6 2El**122 03/32 Mr G. Boyd, 91, Fullingdale Road, Northampton, Nn3 2Pz 03/11 Mrs J.Boyd, Mendip Cottages, Says Lane, Langford, Nr Bristol, Bs40 5Ea 03/9 Mr A.Brackenbury, 76, Crawford Road, Sheffield, S8 9Bu 03/236 Dr L. Brady, Dice, University Of Kent, Canterbury, Kent Ct2 7Pd **62 03/33 Mr M.Brian, 1, Trevelyans Green, Trinity Fields, Stafford St16 1Lj 03/216 Mr B.Brigden, 23, Galway Avenue, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancs, Fy2 Oll **72 03/34 BENHS Dinton Pastures Country Park, Davis St., Hurst, Reading, RG10 0TH 2003 The British Library, Legal Deposit Office, Boston Spa, Wetherby Ls23 7By 2003 Mr N.A. Callow, 25, Cranes Park Ave, Surbiton, Surrey, Kt5 8Bs **50 03/35 Mr D.Campbell, 430 9Th Street Nw, Hickory, Nc 28601-3524, Usa 03/264 Mr S.W.Campbell, 4, The Laurels, Moreton, Wirral, Merseyside, Ch 46 3Su **51 03/36 Mr P. Chandler, 606B Berryfield Lane, Melksham, Wilts., Sn12 6El **19 03/37 Mr C.Clausse, Twedter Holz 12, D-24944 Flensburg, 03/01 Mr D. Clements, 7, Vista Rise, Radyr Cheyne, Llandaff,Cardiff, Cf5 2Sd **6 03/38 Mr L. Clemons, 14, St. John’S Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, Me10 4Ne **118 03/39 As this will be my last contribution in this capacity, I would like to Mr S. Coker, Mountain, Clarbeston Road, Haverfordwest, Sa63 4Sg thank you for helping to make this job easier. I have enjoyed my cor- **20 03/40 respondence with you all, and hope you will continue to entertain my Mr J.D. Coldwell, 16, Railway Cottages, Dodworth, Barnsley, S.Yorks., S75 successor. There are still outstanding subs for this year, so remind your 3Jj **156 03/41 Mr J. Cole, 2, Lenton Close, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs, Pe18 8Tr contacts and please do swap to standing orders!!! **14 03/42 Liz Howe Mr A. Colston, 15, Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambs., Cb7 5Xp **45 03/43 Mr P.A. Cooper, 7, Whitehill Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, Tn6 1Ju Membership List 2003 **73 03/44 Dr G.B.Corbet, Little Dumbarnie, Newburn, Upper Largo, Leven, Fifie Mr D.M.Ackland, 24, The Moors, Kidlington, Oxon.Ox5 2Aj **17 03/14 Ky8 6Jg **176 03/206 Mr M.V. Albertini, 11, Hargrave Road, Maidenhead.Berks. Sl6 6Jr Mr S.M. Crellin, Shearwater, The Dhoor, Andreas Rd, Lezayre, Isle Of Man, **128 03/15 Im7 4Eb **44 03/45 Dr M.C. Aldridge, Clunie Cottage, Ayot St. Lawrence, Welwyn, Herts. Al6 9Bx Mr I.Cross, Wisteria Cottage, 16, Briantspuddle, Dorset, Dt2 7Hs 03/242 **46 03/16 Dr R.W.Crosskey, 2, Willow End, London, N20 8Ep 03/223 Dr.K.N.A. Alexander, 59, Sweetbrier Lane, Heavitree, Exeter. Ex1 3Aq**66 Mr R.Crossley, 1, The Cloisters, Wilberfoss, York, Y041 5Rf **11 03/46 03/17 Mr S. Damant, 40, High Street, Tadlow, Herts., Sg8 0Et **174 03/47 Prof. M. Ashburner, Dept Of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge, Cb2 3Eh Mr C. David, St.Bergue, Saints Rd, St.Martins, Guernsey, Gy4 6Ja *151 03/48 ** 18 03/18 Mr A.Davidson, 5, Hearsay Gardens, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey, Gu17 Dr R. P. Attrill, 17,Waterhouse Moor, Harlow, Essex, Cm18 6Ba *153 03/19 0Ep **170 03/49 Mr. J.S. Badmin, Coppice Place, Downwell, Selling, Nr.Faversham, Kent Me13 Mr I.K.Dawson, The Librarian, Rspb, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds., Sg19 2Dl 9Rp **67 3/20 2003 Mr P.R.Bailey, 273, Tubbenden Lane, Farnborough, Orpington, Kent Br6 7Dw Dr R.Dickson, 39, Serpentine Road, Fareham, Po16 7Ed **182 03/227 **163 03/21 Dr R.H.L. Disney, Univ.Dept . Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, Dr A.F. Bainbridge, 33, Compton Avenue, Mannamead, Plymouth, Pl3 5Da Cb2 3Ej **15 03/50 **68 03/22 Miss E. Douglas, Flat 1, The Mill, East Tytherley Road, Lockerley, Hants, So51 Mr D. Baldock, Nightingales, Haslemere Road, Milford, Surrey, Gu8 5Bn 0Lw 3/187 **186 03/239 Dr M. Drake, Orchid House, Burridge, Axminster, Devon, Ex13 7Df Dr S.G.Ball, 255 Eastfield Road, Peterborough, Pe1 4Bh **4 03/23 **12 03/51 Mr G.Band, 29, Tarn Road, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs. Fy5 5Ay **55 03/24 Mr K.C. Durrant, 18, The Avenue, Sheringham, Norfork, Nr26 8Dg Mr W. Barkemeyer, Salbeistrasse 18, 26129 Oldenberg, Germany 03/265 **74 03/52 Mr D. Barnett, The Lakes House, The Lakes Road, Bewdley, Worc, Dy12 2Qb Mrs I. Duty, Bonhoefferstr. 11, 18069 Rostock, Germany 03/192 **188 03/253 Mr C.E.Dyte, Priory Cottage, 14, Priory Way, Datchet, Slough, Berks., Sl3 9Jq Dr. I.C. Beavis, 104, St. James’ Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Tn1 2Hh **69 **22 03/53 03/25 Mr F.Dziock, Ufz Leipzig-Halle, Pbn Llr, Permoser Str.15, D-04318 Leipzig, Dr P. Bedford, Hayne Farm, Wilmington, Honiton, Devon, Ex14 9Jz Germany 03/241 03/230 E.Cereal&Oilseedresctr,Library, Room 406, Agri & Agrifood Cn, Kw Neatby Mr D. Bennett, Arosfa, Rhes Y Cae, Flints., Ch8 8Jg 03/254 Building, Ottawa K1A 0C6,Canada Dr D.T. Biggs, Plum Tree Cottage, 76, Albert Road, Gurndard Nr. Cowes, Iow Dr M.J. Ebejer, Hendre, Colwinston, S.Glamorgan, Cf71 7Nl **75 03/54 Po31 8Jv **126 03/26 Mr R. Edmunds, 32, Woodcote Green, Calthorpe Park, Fleet, Hants., Gu51 4Ey Dr N.L. Birkett, Beardwood, Carter Rd, Grange Over Sands, Cumbria, La11 **177 03/207 7Ag **129 03/27 Mr M.Edwards, Lea-Side, Carron Lane, Midhurst, W.Sussex, Gu29 9Lb Mr M. Bloxham, 1, St.Johns Close, Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich, B70 6Th **146 03/55 **70 03/28 Mr W. Elliott, 11, Terence Avenue, Poole, Dorset, Bh17 9Ls **133 03/56 Mr M.E.Blythe, 33, Kings Arms Lane, Stourport-On-Severn, Worcs., Dy13 0Ns Mr G.R. Else, Northcroft, St.Peter’S Rd., Hayling Isl., Hants, Po110Rx **138 03/29 **53 03/57 Mr P.Boardman, 7, High Street, Weston Rhyn, Shropshire, Sy10 7Rp **172 03/30

10 I s s u e #56 Au t u m n 2003 D i p t e r i s t s Fo r u m Bu l l e t i n Notice board

Mr P.F. Entwistle, Rhivra, Spinningdale By Ardgay, Sutherland, Iv24 3Ad Mr H. Hillier, 17, St.Margarets Rd, Old Fletton, Peterborough, Pe2 9Ea **23 03/58 **130 03/92 Dr A.W.Ewing, Wester Duncanstone, Insch, Aberdeenshire, Ab52 6Yx Mr P.J.Hodge, 8, Harvard Road, Ringmer, Lewes, E.Sussex, Bn8 5Hj 03/217 03/7 Mr. S. Falk, 56, Gretna Road, Green Lane, Coventry, Cv3 6Dp **76 03/59 Mr J. Hodgson, 69, Westburn Drive, Aberdeen, Ab25 2Bw **132 03/93 Mr. J. Flanagan, 12, Coronation Rd., Stockbridge, Sheffield, S36 1Ax The Librarian, The Hope Library, Museum Of Nat. History, Parks Road, **63 03/60 Oxford, Ox1 3Pw 03/246 Mr B.Formstone, 15, Beech Ave, Gresford, Wrexham, Clwyd, Ll12 8El Dr G.Hopkins, 15, Matlock Rd, Norwich, Nr1 1Tl 03/259 **116 03/61 Dr D.Horsfield, 131 (3F1) Comiston Rd, Edinburgh, Eh10 6Aq **84 03/94 Mr A.Foster, 23, The Dawneys, Crudwell, Malmesbury ,Wilts Sn16 9He Drs B&C Howarth, Dept. Physiology,Fac.Med.& Health Sci, UAE University, *145 03/62 Po Box 17666 Al Ain, UAE Mr A.P. Fowles, Yr Efail, Llangoed, Anglesey, Ll58 8Yf **61 03/63 Drs M. & L.Howe, Ger-Y-Parc, Tynygongl, Benllech, Ynys Mon, Ll74 8Ns Mr N. Frankum, 33, Notton Way, Lower Earley, Reading, Berks., Rg6 4Aj **125 03/96 **112 03/64 Mr A.C.Hubbard, Treetops, Common Lane, Bromeswell ,Woodbridge, Suffolk, Mr R.M.Fry, 8,Homefield Cottages, Highfield Lane, Thursley, Surrey, Gu8 6Qh Ip12 2Pq 03/210 03/247 Mr M.O.Hughes, 1, Woodside Avenue, Kinmel Bay, Conwy, Ll18 5Nd Mr J. Gant, 75, Palfrey Heights, Brantham, Manningtree, Essex, Co11 1Sg 03/219 03/209 Mr D.J.Hunnisett, 25, Ferndale Road, Weymouth, Dorset, Dt4 7Qz Mr S. Garland, 157, Tudor Avenue, Bolton, Lancs., Bl1 4Nb 03/27 **141 03/97 Mr R.S.George, 54, Richmond Park Ave, Bournemouth, Bh8 9Dr Mr A. Hutchings, The Cottage, Salmon Leap, Greenhill View, Romsey Hants, **52 03/65 So51 8He **86 03/98 Mr D. Gibbs, 6, Stephen Street, Redfield, Bristol, Bs5 9Dy **48 03/66 Mr R. Hutchinson, 49, Geneva Gardens, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex, Miss B. Gillam Mbe, 19, Roundway Gardens, Devizes, Wiltshire, Sn10 2Ef Rm6 6Sl**87 3/99 03/228 Mr D.A.Iliff, Green Willows, Station Rd, Woodmancote,Cheltenham Glos, Miss A.J. Gipson, 142, Mansfield Road, Intake, Sheffield, S.Yorks Gl52 4Hw **7 03/100 **40 03/67 Mr S.R.Irons, 69, Glinton Road, Helpston, Peterborough, Pe6 7Dg Dr H.C.J. Godfray, Kinnoull, Nuney Green, Maplle Durham, Oxford, Rg4 9Ta **161 03/101 **30 03/68 Dr T. Irwin, 47, The Avenues, Norwich, Norfolk, Nr2 3Ph **174 03/102 Mr A. Godfrey, 90, Bence Lane, Darton, Barnsley, S.Yorks, S75 5Da Dr J.W.Ismay, The Hope Library, Museum Of Nat. History, Parks Road, Ox- **142 03/69 ford, Ox1 3Pw **88 03/13 Mr J. Golding, 1, Churchill Avenue, Beltinge, Herne Bay, Ct6 6Sg Mr M.P.James, 41, Holly Avenue, Bradwell, Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk, Nr31 8Nl **178 03/208 03/211 Mr P.Grainger, 8, Bridges Lane, Beddington, Surrey, Cr0 4Sg **39 03/70 Mr J.B. Jobe, 13, Willow Walk, Ripon, N.Yorks, Hg4 2Ls **89 03/103 Mr A.Grayson, 56, Piercy End, Kirkbymoorside, York, Yo62 6Df Mr A.W.Jones, 11, Station Road, Newhaven, E.Sussex, Bn9 0Nh 03/218 03/212 Mr K. Grearson, 10, Eastfield, Ashton Keynes, Swindon, Sn6 6Pr Mr R.A.Jones, 135, Friern Road, East Dulwich, London, Se22 0Az **144 03/71 03/202 Mr D.M. Green, Windy Ridge, Little Comberton, Pershore, Worcs, Wr10 3Ew Mr R.J. Juckes, 24, Croft Lane, Temple Grafton, Alcester, Warks. B49 6Pa **77 03/72 **111 03/105 Mr G.H Green, Windy Ridge, Little Comberton, Pershore, Worcs,Wr10 3Ew Dr P.Kirby, 21, Grafton Avenue, Netherton, Peterborough Pe3 9Pd 03/201 03/249 Mrs L. Greve, Museum Of Zoology, Univ. Bergen, Museplass 3, 5007 Bergen, Mr J. Kramer, 31, Ash Tree Road, Oadby, Leicester Le2 5Te **43 03/107 03/222 Dr P.H. Langton, 5, Kylebeg Avenue, Coleraine, N. Bt52 1Jn **33 Mr M. Grooms, 74, Henley Way, Ely, Cambs., Cb2 4Yj 03/271 03/108 Mr M.G. Hackston, 210, St.Peter’S Road, South Ham, Basingstoke, Hants, Mr B.R.Laurence, 32, Low Greens, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland Rg22 6Tj **147 03/73 Td15 1Lz **171 3/109 Hampshire Co. Council Museums Service, Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane, Dr R.Lavigne, Po Box 1010, Mt.Barker, Sa 5251, Australia 03/4 Winchester So23 8Rd 03/269 Mr A.G. Lawson, 29, Hale Drive, Mill Hill, London Nw7 3El 03/213 Mr E.G.Hancock, Craigmuire, Sandford, Strathaven, S. Lanarkshire , Ml10 6Pt Mr Aleftwich, 41, Phoenix Drive, Compass Reach, Sovereign Harbour N, **9 03/76 Eastbourne Bn23 Pg **90 3/110 Mr L.W.Hardwick, 4, Caister Way, Over, Winsford, Cheshire, Cw7 1Lt **164 Mr E.T.& Mr D.A. Levy, 9, Chilton Grove, Yeovil, Somerset, Ba21 4An **57 03/77 03/111 Mr J. Harper, 4, Fairholme, Gilwern, Abergavenny, Np7 0Ba **162 03/78 Mr S. Lucas, 35, Maesquarre Rd., Ammanford, Carms. Sa18 2Lf Dr. K. M. Harris, 81, Linden Way, Ripley, Woking, Surrey, Gu23 03/263 **13 03/79 Mr R. Mcandrew, 5, Thornhill Gardens, Hartlepool, Ts26 0Hx 03/196 Miss M.Harrop, 24, Delph Common Rd, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs.L39 5Dw Mr M.J.Mccleary, 29, Beaconfield Road, Epping, Essex Cm16 5Ar **183 **32 03/80 03/231 Dr C.M. Hartfield, Horticultural Res. Inst. Wellesbourne, Warwick, Cv35 9Ef Mr A. Mccullough, 108, Addison Gardens, London, W14 0Ds 03/272 **35 03/81 Mr J. Mckellar, 24, Scorguie Gardens, Inverness Iv3 8Ss 03/6 Mr M. Harvey, 10, Kiln Ride, Upper Basildon, Berks, Rg8 8Ta **79 03/82 Dr I. Mclean, 109 Miller Way, Brampton, Huntingdon Pe28 4Tz 03/256 Mr N. Harvey, 11, Head Street, Rowhedge, Colchester, Essex, Co5 7Hn **80 Dr A.R. Maibach, La Poya 10, Cp99 Ch-1610 Oron-La-Ville, 03/83 03/214 Mr P. Harvey, 32, Lodge Lane, Grays, Essex, Rm16 2Yp **149 03/84 Dr C.T. Maier, 03/8 Dept. Ento, Connecticut Agri Exp.St, Po Box 1106, New Mr R.D. Hawkins, 30D, Meadowcroft Cl., Horley, Surrey, Rh6 9El **81 Haven Ct, Usa 06504 03/85 R T. Marshall, 49, Lodge Lane, Prestwood, Great Missenden, Bucks. Hp16 Mr S.J.Hayhow, 15, Brookfield Road, Thornton Cleveleys,Blackpool, Lancs, 0Qg **91 03/112 Fy5 4Dr**115 03/86 Mr P.L. Martin, 11, Park Road, Elland, Halifax, W. Yorks Hx5 9Hz Mrs. J.Y. Hazlehurst, Newhouse, Hourston,Dounby, Orkney, Kw17 2Je **82 **92 03/113 03/87 Mr M. Martinez, Inra,Ufr D’Ecol. Ani..Zoo. Agr, 2, Pl. Pierre Viala, 34060 Mr J.Heal, 11, Kings’ Avenue, Stone, Staffs. St15 8Hd **83 03/88 Montpellier, Ced 01France 2003 Mr D.J.Heaver, 5, Albert Road, Ledbury, Herefordshire, Hr8 2Dn Mr P. Mason, Room 02G08, Central Science Labs. , Sand Hutton, York Yo14 **49 03/89 1Lz 03/195 Mr S. Hewitt, Tullie House Museum, Castle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria Ca3 8Qt Mr P.W. Maton, 208, The Street, Boughton-Under-Blean, Faversham, Kent, 03/270 Me13 9Al, *64 03/114 Mr R. Hicks, 14, Ash Close, Biscovey, Par, Cornwall, Pl24 2Hd **175 03/90

I s s u e #56 Au t u m n 2003 11 D i p t e r i s t s Fo r u m Bu l l e t i n Notice board

Mr M. Matthews, 56, Stanford Road, Ashchurch, Tewkesbury, Gl20 8Qu Mr N.Redgate, 24, Harland Rd, Castletown, Caithness, Kw14 8Ub 03/257 **1 03/115 Mr G.M.Richardson, 1, Victoria Grove, Ilkley, W.Yorkshire, Ls29 9Bn **135 Mr D.Maund, Flat 2, Hunston House, 8, St.Ronans Road, Southsea,Portsmouth, 03/143 Po4 0Pt 03/188 Mr N.Riddiford, Schoolton, Fair Isle, Shetland, Ze2 9Ju 03/262 Mr T. Mawdsley, 21, Tancred Road, Wallasey, Wirral, Ch45 4Rt Mr D.M Robertson, 41, Claremont Road, Leith, Edinburgh, Eh6 7Nn **99 **137 03/116 03/144 Mrs J. Mears, 6, Leatham Royd, Manchester Rd, Marsden, Hd7 6Ha Dr. P. Roper, South View, Churchill Lane, Sedlescombe, Battle, E. Sussex, **93 03/117 Tn33 0Pe **100 03/146 Mr A.V.Measday, Khorrassan, 68, Brookmead, Hildenborough, Tonbridge , Dr. G.E. Rotheray, Royal Mus. Of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, Eh1 Kent Tn11 9Dp 03/204 1Jf **101 03/147 Mr J. Menten, Decroylaan 49122, 3001 Heverlee , (Leuven), 2003 The Librarian, Roy. Ent Society, 41, Queen’S Gate, London, Sw7 5Hr 03/226 Mr R.K.Merrifield, 8, Hawthorne Ave, Eastcote, Middlesex, Ha4 8Ss Mr S. Ryan, 21, North Street, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Sa72 6Qt **94 03/118 **31 03/148 Mr R. Merritt, 20, St.John’S Grove, Morecambe, Lancs. La3 1Et Mr R. Sanders, 102, Meon Road, Milton, Southsea, Hants., Po4 8Nw **102 03/191 03/149 Dr B.Merz, Mus. D’Histoire Naturelle, C.P. 6434, Ch-1211 Genève 6, Switzer- Mr D.P. Savage, 16, Beechfield, High Hawsker, Whitby, Yo22 4Lq **29 land 03/3 03/150 Mr P. Mobsby, 24, Skew Bridge Road, Salisbury, Wilts. Sp2 9Nx Mr D. Scott, Ford Farm, Brightlingsea, Colchester, Essex, Co7 0Sa **181 03/243 03/225 Mr R. Morris, 241, Commonside East, Mitcham, Surrey, Cr4 1Hb **8 03/121 Mr J. Szczur, 11, Saxton Close, Beeston, Nottingham, Ng9 2Du 03/268 Mr P.Moule, 28, Mill Road, Over Cambs. Cb4 5Py 03/248 Mr J. Showers, 103 Desborough Road, Rothwell, Kettering, Northants., Nn14 Mr A. Mueller Gmbh, Journals Department, Epplestr. 19C, D- Stuttgart, 70597 6Jq **166 03/151 Germany 2003 Dr D. Shuker, 99/6 Polwarth Terrace, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Eh11 1Nw The Librarian, National Museums Galleries Of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, **173 03/152 Cf1 3Np 03/194 Mr M.Simmons, Perth Museum, 78, George St, Perth, Ph1 5Lb 03/258 Naturalis, Bibliotheek, Postbus 9517, 2300 Ra Leiden, 2003 Mr D.Sivell, 3, Arran Place, James Street, Edinburgh, Eh15 2Du **184 Mr P. Nicholson, St. Michaels, 9, Stalham Road, Hoveton, Norwich, Nr12 8Dg 03/233 **179 03/200 Mr P.Skidmore, 27, Yew Tree Road, Elkesley, Retford, Notts. **167 03/186 Ns Dept. Nat Res Forest Pro, C/O E. Georgeson, Po Box 130, Shubenacadie, Dr D. Skingsley, Staffs University,Biol.Div,Sch.Of Sci., College Rd, Stoke On N S Bon 2Ho Canada 03/5 Trent, St4 2De **103 03/153 Dr J.P. O’Connor, C/O Nat Museum Of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Dr M.J. Smart, Southcliffe, Pattingham Road, Perton, Wolv’Pton, Wv6 7Hd Ireland 03/245 **104 03/154 Mr J.M.O’Sullivan, 14, East Hatley, Sandy, Beds., Sg19 3Ja 03/198 Mr D.A. Smith, 12, Tring Gardens, Harold Hill, Romford, Rm3 9Ep **105 Dr J. Owen, 66, Scraptoft Lane, Leicester, Le5 1Hu **65 03/122, 03/155 Dr C.J. Palmer, 6, Gofton Avenue, Cosham, Portsmouth Hants., Po6 2Ng Dr K.G.V.Smith, 70, Hollickwood Ave, London, N12 0Ct 03/10 **119 03/124 Mr M. Smith, 24, Allnatt Avenue, Winnersh, Berks., Rg41 5Au **106 03/156 Mr J.Parker, 16, Brunswick Road, Penrith, Cumbria 03/205 Mr M.H.Smith, 18A Amwell Road, Cambs. Cb4 2Uh **189 03/255, Mr J.R. Parker, Stone Raise: Greenhead, 42, Lakeland Park, Keswick, Cumbria, Dr R.M.Smith, 12, Chestnut Grove, Acomb, York, Yo26 5Le **190 03/261 Ca12 4At **155 03/125 Dr C. Spilling, 44, Sussex Road, Harrow, Middlesex , Ha1 4Lx **42 03/157 Mr M. Parker, 9, East Wyld Road, Weymouth, Dorset, Dt4 0Rp **58 Mr E. Steer, 30, Broadway Close, Sutton Farm, Shrewsbury, Sy2 6Hy **107 03/126 03/158 Mr P.Parmenter, 15, Kings Road, Great Totham, Essex, Cm9 8Dj 03/12 Mr R.A. Stonell, 2, Mead Close, Monks Risborough, Bucks., Hp27 9Jl **180 Mr A.J. Parsons, Barnfield, Tower Hill Road, Crewkerne, Somerset, Ta18 8Bj 03/224 **146 03/127 Dr. M. Storey, 43, Berry’S Road, Upper Bucklebury, Reading, Rg7 6Ql **16 Mr M.W.J.Paskin, 67, Bryn Heulog, Rhayader, Powys, Ld6 5Eg **134 03/159 03/128 Mr A. Stubbs, 181 Broadway, Peterborough, Pe1 4Ds **5 03/160, Mr S. Paston, 25, Connaught Road, Norwich, Nr2 3Bp **56 03/129, Mr. D. Sumner, 122, Link Road, Charnwood, Anstey, Leics., Le7 7Bx **10 Mr R.G.Payne, 11, Cliff Avenue, Westcliff-On-Sea, Essex, Ss0 7Aj **96 03/161 03/130 Mr P. Talbot, 133, Park Road, Elland, Halifax, Hx5 9Hz **168 03/162 Mr I.Perry, 27, Mill Road, Lode, Cambridge, Cb5 9En **97 03/131 Mr. M.J.Taylor, 18, Albany Rd, Bramhall, Stockport, Ches., Sk7 1Nd **26 Prof. W. Peters, Pulridge House East, Little Gaddesden, Berkhamsted, Herts., 03/163 Hp4 1Pn **98 03/132 Mr P. Taylor, 4, Laneland Cottages, Plaistow Rd,Kirdford, Billingshurst,W. Dr D. Phillips, 86, Martin Brae, Ladywell West, Livingston W. Lothian, Eh54 Sussex, Rh14 0Jy **27 03/164 6Ut **38 03/133 Mr R.Thomas, 32, Park Road, Bakewell, Derbys., De45 1Ax **136 3/165 Mr E.G.Philp, 6, Vicarage Close, Aylesford, Kent, Me20 7Bb 03/215 Mrs E.Thorpe, Heather Bank, Quarry Bank, Smedley St. West, Matlock, De4 Mr B.Pinchen, 7, Brookland Close, Pennington, Lymington, Hamps., So41 8Je 3Lf **3 03/167 **160 03/134 Dr Takashi Torii, Keio High School, Hiyoshi, Yokohama, C Kanagawa, 223- Dr A.R. Plant, 9, High Street, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset, Ta4 3Ax 0061, 03/244 **148 03/135 The Librarian, Museo Reg. Scienze, Naturali Biblioteca, Via Giolitti 36, 10123 Mr C.W.Plant, 14, West Road, Bishops Stortford, Herts., Cm23 3Qp 03/220 Torino, 2003 Dr A.C. Pont, 38, Gatehampton Rd, Goring-On-Thames, Reading, Rg8 0Ep Mrs L. Tranter, 27, Hill Cliffe Road, Walton, Warrington, Cheshire, Wa4 6Pa **54 03/136 **36 03/168 Mr D.A.Porter, Leyeshurst, 76, London Road, Hailsham, E.Sussex, Bn27 3Dd Mr R. Tribbeck,14D Stoneyfields Court, Sandy Lane, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, 03/221 Staffs St5 0Lt **37 03/169 Dr K. Porter, 44, Manor Road, Folksworth, Peterborough, Pe7 3Su **131 Mr. L. Truscott, 59, Cremyll Road, Torpoint, Cornwall, Pl11 2Dz **117 03/137 03/170 Dr R.H.Poulding, Job’S Cottage, Trew, Breage, Helston, Cornwall , Tr13 9Qn Mrs J. Turner, Rowley Regis, Oak Hill, East Budleigh, Devon Ex9 7Dw **150 03/138 03/237 Mr S.Preddy, 94, Winchester Road, Bristol, Bs4 3Nl **139 03/139 Mr R.W.J. Uffen, 4, Mardley Avenue, Welwyn, Herts., Al6 0Ud **123 Mr P.J. Proctor, 7, Quinton Close, Wallington, Surrey, Sm6 7Jz **112 03/140 03/171 Mr M.N. Pugh, 204, Bills Lane, Shirley, Solihill, W. Mids, B90 2Pj **165 Dr H. Ulrich, Holzweiler, Dernauer Weg 10, 53501 Grafschaft, Germany 03/141 03/189 Mr S.Randolph, 2, Burghley Road, St.Andrews, Bristol, Bs6 5Bn 03/240 Dr R. Underwood, 25, Greetby Hill, Ormskirk, Lancs., L39 2Dp **108 Mr C.M.T. Raper, 46, Skilton Road, Tilehurst, Reading , Berks., Rg31 6Sg 03/172 **124 03/142 Mr J.Valentine, Rhyd Fach, Plwmp, Llandysul, Ceredigion, Sa44 6Hx 03/260

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Reports Field Meetings 2003 Summer Field Meeting Suffolk July 11-18 The 16 Century Manor House, Hengrave Hall near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, provided the historic setting for our 2003 Summer Field Meeting. With 34 people and 2 offsprings attending and with day visits from 3 others, it was our largest gathering for many years. After some initial problems, the Centre proved to be an ideal venue, with adequate lab space and excellent food. Its location allowed us to reach a variety of habitats in a relatively short time. Although effort was concentrated largely towards Breckland, we also managed to visit the Cambridgeshire fens and chalkland of the Devils Ditch, the clay woods south of Bury St Edmunds and several sites on the Suffolk coast. The week started with warm, sunny weather and the temperature rose gradually to a sweltering 90°F (32°C) by the Wednesday, then after overnight showers it was thankfully a little cooler for the remainder of the meeting. The humidity was also very high and encouraged the attentions of various biting flies, At a particularly bad site, one person returned with a pooter full of Chrysops claiming that it was “a matter of self‑defence.” During the evening there was no respite for those relaxing outside the bar as the Mosquitoes took over the nightshift. Needless to say by the end of the week, most of us had a selection of bumps, spots or swellings to show for our endeavours. The hot, dry conditions meant that many sites were looking rather parched and suitable flowers often had few flies on them. However the fine weather did allow maximum collecting time everyday and by concentrating our efforts in shady areas and damp spots, a steady stream of interesting records ensued. The grounds of Hengrave proved quite productive, with Nigrotipula nigra, Tipula helvola, Eutolmus rufibarbis, and Norellia spinipes all present along with a Chrysopilus laetus swept from near the lake. The Malaise Trap that was in operation for some of the week and the sap flow on an Oak that attracted much attention will doubtless provide further good species. Because of the dry weather, numbers of Craneflies were inevitably down on what inight have been expected. HoweverTipula helvola and T. livida were present in several of the Breck woodlands and Erioptera mejerei was found at several sites. Foulden Common was a new site for Prionocera subserricornis and it was also recorded from Thompson Common. Fungus Gnats were also little in evidence with only 34 species recorded during the week and with Pyra- tula perpusilla from the Devils Ditch, the only one of note. Amongst the larger Brachycera, Phthiria pulicaria was found in the Breck, Odontomyia angulata at Thompson Common and Eutolmus rufibarbisat several locations. One of the aims of the meeting was to find more sites for the Asilid Machimus arthriticus. This was achieved with solitary specimens found at several sites, but in numbers at only two. In the Kings Forest several were seen in an area recently ploughed for replanting, indicating that disturbed, bare ground may be a necessary requirement. However further investigation of other similar sites in the Thetford Forest area met with limited success. The heat appeared to be too much for even the Hoverflies at times, although Chrysotoxum verralli and Volucella inanis turned up at a few places and Triglyphus primus was found at Lackford Lakes. The Conopids were also strangely few in numbers, but Zodion cinereum was taken at a few Breckland sites. The Chloropidae were the subject of attention from Barbara Schulten and John Ismay and they found Chlorops fasciata at several Breck grassland sites, Lasiamba coxalis at Wangford Warren and Trachysiphonella pygmaea in the Kings Forest. They had brought a suction sampler with them, which several of us had a go at using and this enabled several brachypterus species of Diptera which usually live deep inside tussocks, such as Tricimba brac- hyptera and Aphanotrigonum nigripes var. brachyptera to be collected. The Honeypot Challenge encouraged the collection of Sawflies with 69 species recorded during the week and the Hymenopterists seemed pleased with the results of their efforts, the bees and wasps seemingly less affected by the heat. On the last night a visit to the local pub for a meal and liquid refreshment was enjoyed by all who took part. Would all participants please send their records to me, on disc if possible, but including a hard copy. I aim to get some feedback to site managers before the start of next season and suggest a deadline of end March 2004 for this purpose. Ivan Perry

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Forthcoming Autumn Field Meeting - Wiltshire Wednesday to Sunday (15th to 19th) October 2003 Lackham College, the Wiltshire Agricultural College, situated south of Chippenham. Using their laboratory facilities for eve- ning sorting and suitable guest house accommodation in the area. The final notice concerning this meeting was in the previous Bulletin. Peter Chandler Annual Meeting Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd November 2003 To be held, at the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh The museum is situated in Chambers Street, just one block south of the Royal Mile and will be open from 10.00am. There is no entrance charge and when you arrive, ask for the Education Centre or follow the signs. The Education Centre will be our main meeting room. It is next to the lecture theatre and the museum cafeteria at the back of the museum. A small fee of £2.00 will be charged to cover the costs of tea and coffee. . PLEASE BRING AN EXHIBIT IF YOU CAN As usual, there will be a book-voucher prize for the exhibit judged to be best. Saturday 1st 10:00 am Museum open to members. Please try to stage your exhibits as early as possible. 11:00 am Welcome and announcements 11:05 am Iain McGowan Recent advances in studies of Scottish Diptera 11:35 am Graham Rotheray Finding, rearing and studying Diptera larvae 12:05 pm Short comfort break. Please be back in your seats in time for the next session. 12:15 pm Steven Miles & John Muggleton Biodiversity Action Plans for Heathland Flies This biodiversity project was set up five years ago under English Nature’s Species Recovery Pro- gramme. It covers the two beeflies,Bombylius minor and Thyridanthrax fenestratus, and the hoverfly, Chrysotoxum octomaculatum. We will review the progress and successes of the project as well as some associated heathland management issues. John Muggleton will cover aspects of the population studies undertaken on Thyridanthrax fenestratus. 12:45 pm Keith Bland An introduction to leaf miners in Scotland 1:15 - 2:15 pm BREAK FOR LUNCH Bring your own or use the museum cafeteria or any of the wide range of restaurants outside the museum 2:15 - 2:45 pm Informal session in the Education Centre, a time to meet people and view the exhibits and access

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the collections 2:45ish pm ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING c.3:45 - 5:00pm Informal session continues. Viewing (and judging!) of exhibits. 6:30 pm Dipterists’ Supper - to be arranged, details on the day Sunday 2nd 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Continuation of exhibits and examination of collections: the collections will be available for study during the day from 10.00 ‑ 5.00pm

a) Graham Rotheray - Larval rearing equipment and examples avail- able b) Ian McGowan - Lonchaeidae workshop c) Stuart Ball ‑ demonstration of data exchange between Recorder 2002/MapMate d) Your exhibits! 1:00 - 2:00 pm BREAK FOR LUNCH Bring your own or use the museum cafeteria or any of the wide range of restaurants outside the museum 5:00 p.m. Museum closes, meeting ends

Getting there If arriving by car, the nearest public car park is just behind the museum off Potterow. If arriving by train, ask for Waverley Station. The museum is about a 10 minute walk away. If arriving at the airport, the cheapest option is to catch the airport bus and ask for Waverley Station (the bus stops outside the station) and walk from there.

Accommodation Many of you will probably be coming up on the Friday and staying until Sunday. A wide range of accommodation is available within walking distance of the museum, or within short bus rides. There are numerous budget hotels and guest houses nearby. The best way to find out about accommodation is through the Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board (tel 0845 2255 121). Their website has full details of accommodation, maps etc and is at www. edinburgh.org. If any problems arise or you need further help or advice please don’t hesitate to contact Graham Rotheray (contact details below).

Graham E Rotheray, Curator of National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street Edinburgh EH1 1JF UK +44 (0)131.247.4243 [email protected]

Additional notes from John Kramer & Roger Morris: Following the questionnaire in the last Bulletin, John reports insufficient people interested or able to take part in group travel and suggests that, as usual, you try to make these amongst your friends. There were a few more inter- ested in group accommodation and Roger is trying to arrange this (he knows who you are!)

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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Chairman will open the AGM at 2.45pm

1. Minutes of the last AGM and matters arising. 2. Secretary’s Report. 3. Treasurer’s Report. (accounts enclosed with this Bulletin) 4. Membership Secretary’s Report. 5. Dipterists Digest Editor’s Report. 6. Election of Officers.

Elections The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and other elected officers with specific responsibilities (detailed below) require annual election. The constitution (7c) requires nominations 120 days in advance of the AGM. No such nominations have been received by the Secretary. Ordinary elected committee members serve for two years, half of the team standing down each year (7f)

The Officers and General Committee proposed is as follows:

Chairman Stuart Ball Secretary John Kramer Treasurer Jon Cole Membership Secretary Mick Parker (proposed) Field Meetings Secretary Roger Morris (proposed) Indoor Meetings Secretary David Heaver Bulletin Editor Darwyn Sumner Publicity Officer Patrick Roper Web Manager Chris Raper Ordinary Members (up to 6) Malcolm Smart Chris Spilling

Co-opted Members (up to 3) Alan Stubbs

Un-elected Representatives Peter Chandler Dipterists Digest Editor Ken Merrifield BENHS Representative Jon Dobson JCCBI Representative 7. Any other business

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Two-way Family Favourites Workshop 12-14 March 2004 1. Fun with Flies : An Introduction to the Families Friday to Sunday 12-14 March 2004, Preston Montford Field Studies Centre, Shrewsbury. Course led by David Heaver and Simon Hayhow. The aim of this course is to introduce you to the range of fly families and then concentrate on the two most popular groups, the hoverflies and the larger brachycera. At the end of the course you will have learnt how to recognise which family a fly is in, and identify some to species level. If you are already a little familiar with flies but feel a bit unsteady on some aspects then your needs can be catered for as well. To keep your enthusiasm going, this course comes bundled with a years basic membership of the Dipterists Forum, the UK group for the study of these insects, and a key to the families. There will be opportunities to buy the new keys to hoverflies and the larger brachycera. Non forum members as residents £130 Dipterists Forum members £125 Unlike with previous courses, this one is being organised and promoted by Preston Montford Field Studies Council, and bookings should be made with them. Details from Karen Harvey FSC Preston Montford Montford Bridge Shrewsbury Shropshire SY4 1DX, or phone 01743 852040, or e-mail: [email protected]

Same venue, same dates: 2. Introduction to Acalypterates This course runs parallel with the beginner’s one across the courtyard at PM. It is being fronted by Darwyn Sum- ner, with technical identification back-up from Jon Cole. This powerful double act should take you a long way down the road to enjoying the acalypterates which always seem to occupy every netfull. I hope to secure a museum collection for people to explore. Single rooms are at £110, the shared ones at £90. Given the value of the beginner’s course to the future of the Forum, I would like people to give up the odd half hour and pop across the courtyard to help people identify Episyrphus balteatus or play spot the tabanid. This hopefully will break up the format a bit and provide light relief for Simon and me. This is not compulsory! Payment by cheque to Dipterists Forum Workshops, and posted to me at home (see inside front cover) As usual having the bulk of the cash up front keeps PM happy and involves less hassle on the workshop. But if you are skint then pay a little up front and rest on the day. When I set up a new e-mail account I will advertise it in the next bulletin (and website) and you can use that for workshop purposes. Thank you for your continued support. David Heaver

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Notes for the Acalypterate workshop Dave Heaver was pretty keen to use the theme of television presenter to describe my style of delivery at this work- shop but it was unfortunately censored by my proof-reader of 29 years. Instead I hope he will be content with an analogy based on my teaching career. In this role I play the part of the inexperienced new teacher who is given the task of introducing a major new topic to pupils, my uncertainties in the subject areas will be offset by the fact that I shall be aided by the senior master, Jon Cole. An illustrious old boy of the school, Steve Falk, has also offered to return during the Saturday session in order to help out where required. Your “holiday reader” books should include the regular keys to families but the main course book will be Papp & Schumann’s key in Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera as this provides us with the most thorough treatment. Flick through the pages of journals such as Proc. Brit. Ent. NHS, BJENHS and Dipterists Digest from the last 20 years or so and important articles from previous pupils of the school who have gone on to find fame and fortune will be found. Gather what you must from these because the sheer volume of material required to cover keys to all the Acalypterates prevents me from wholesale photostatting. Single copies of most will be made available (use the Preston Montford photostat machine), I already have to thank Peter Chandler, Martin Drake and John Ismay for gathering together copies of obscure stuff which only they would know about. Up-to-date versions of keys (notably all Stilt & Stalks, Pallop- teridae, Lauxaniidae) will be produced in sufficient quantities for everyone at the workshop. You would be well advised to build up your own collection of the longer specialised works (e,g, Chloropidae), a good guide to this are the reference sections to each Family in Peter Chandler’s checklist. More detailed guidance will be posted on the Dipterists Forum website. Whilst many Families will be dealt with thoroughly, there is simply insufficient time at an introductory session like this to achieve full identification of everything and it is hoped that this course will provide the basic background for future workshops on some of the larger acalypterate groups by specialists in those areas. Darwyn Sumner Summer Field Meeting - Wiltshire Saturday to Saturday (29th May to 5th June) As indicated in the Spring Bulletin, our base next year will be Wiltshire College, Lackham, situated south of Chip- penham. The College is at the centre of Lackham Park, which is a 500 acre estate occupying a loop of the River Avon. The estate is mainly agricultural but includes a network of small areas of deciduous woodland, with a rich flora and there are several ponds and riverbank habitats. Those who attend the autumn field meeting this year will have a preview, as we will be using the laboratory in the evening. There is also a good range of wet and dry wood- land sites within our usual radius and Salisbury Plain with a range of more open habitats, including large areas of calcareous grassland, is nearby. The extensive ancient woodland of Savernake Forest is also within reach. Wiltshire is a gap in recording for many groups and this will be an opportunity to fill some of these, so many interesting records can be expected.

A booking has been made for the College’s spring half term week and the meeting will run from Saturday 29 May to Saturday 5 June 2004. Accommodation will be in lockable single rooms, probably in a new block at present under construction. This will be at a cost of £30.50 including VAT per person per day, so bookings for part of the week will be acceptable. This price will include breakfast, evening meal and a basic packed lunch. Evening meals will not be available on Monday 31 May (since the chef does not work on bank holidays), resulting in a reduction of £6.50 in the charge per person on that day, so the charge for a full week will be £209. Because of this the now traditional end of week meal out will be brought forward to the Monday and will be attended by everyone. A charge of £60.00 + VAT per day is also being levied for six days’ use of the laboratory facilities; this will be divided equally between all those using these facilities and would involve an addition of £14.50 per person if 30 people were attending for the full week.

The College requires that electrical equipment used in the laboratories must have a certificate indicating that it has been PAT tested. This applies to microscopes with inbuilt lights and all associated lighting equipment. It does not apply to low voltage items such as laptop computers and mobile phone rechargers or to any personal items used in the accommodation block. Any items tested on the 2003 autumn field meeting will not need to be retested next year as the certificate will still be valid. Those attending are advised to have their equipment tested by an electrical retailer before coming, but arrangements will be made for the College’s electrician to test any items that do not have a certificate. The College’s microscopes and lamps will also be loaned initially to meet any needs before this testing can be carried out.

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Hours of laboratory use will also be more restricted than usual because of the need for the Laboratory Supervisor to be present while we are occupying these facilities. It has been arranged for the Laboratories to be opened from 5.0p.m. until midnight (excluding the evening meal period); they will not be opened in the morning but a coffee room will be available then for any pre-excursion discussion. It is hoped that these arrangements will not adversely affect those more industrious members who wish to work longer hours and it will be possible for personal microscopes to be used in the owner’s room for those wishing to work at unsocial hours.

An estimate of the number of people attending is required by the end of this year. Laboratory space (two areas in adjacent buildings) is only available for about 30 people, so early booking is advised. Room accommodation is available for more and it is understood that we will be the only party on site at the time. As Dipterists Forum has already paid a deposit of £200, it is not anticipated that any further deposit will be required at this stage. Additional people may be added to the party after the end of this year and the College needs to know the final number by the beginning of May 2004. Any cancellations after that date will incur the full cost to the person concerned.

Diary 2003/4 2003 RESL = Royal Entomological Society of London BENHS = British Entomological & Natural History Society. Oc t o b e r Contact Peter Chandler. Field Meetings Secretary, 15-19 DF Autumn Field Meeting - Wiltshire Workshop bookings: Ian McLean -home tel: 01480 450554; No v e m b e r E-mail: [email protected] NNHS Northamptonshire Natural History Society, Humfrey Rooms, 1-2 DF Annual Meeting - Edinburgh 10, Castilian Terrace, NN1 1LD Cyril Sampson 8 BENHS Annual Exhibition BES British Ecological Society [email protected] or 2004 www.demon.co.uk/bes/meetings/dispersal/index.html AES = Amateur Entomologists Society, PO Box 8774, London SW7 5ZG. [email protected] http://www.theaes.org Ma r c h BRC Biological Records Centre - Mark Hill

12-14 DF Workshop: Fly Families. Preston Montford Details of events of several societies can be obtained from their websites: 9 BENHS Annual General Meeting BENHS (www.benhs.org.uk), RESL (www.royensoc.co.uk) & Ma y AES (www.theaes.org). (site non-functioning at present)

29-(5) DF Field Week: Wiltshire En t o m o l o g i c a l Sh o w s Ju n e A useful site to gain news of various Entomological Shows and Fairs is http://www.buzzbugz.co.uk/ - I have no dates for the following: (29)-5DF Field Week: Wiltshire The Kettering Shows (Spring and ?Winter) DF = Dipterists Forum Kettering Leisure Village, Kettering. Jack Harris. 01455 444 792; [email protected]

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And now ...... Fame It is always difficult to know whether the media is reporting correctly, but one can depend on the New Scientist to get it’s scientific facts right. Thus in early July 1 Contributors read of un‑named dragonflies and hoverflies that are predatory and whose stealth Please note the following deadlines for behaviour in approaching prey could be adapted for missile technology. the next two bulletins: Shortly afterwards, my attention was drawn to an item in another prestigious publication, The Times. To my astonishment I read that a locality in Yorkshire Spring bulletin has 1000 species of craneflies. Now I knew that Yorkshire is claimed, by some, to Aims to be on your doorstep in the first be a far better county than any other, but 10 times as good? This gem of scientific two weeks of March, contributions by reporting was clearly hype, tacked onto an item about a man who had got a grant the end of January, this is printed in from the Forest Enterprise to study a soldierfly ‑ very enterprising indeed. February in time for the March workshop meeting. Virtually the next day, 1 happened to be listening to Radio 4 News Quiz. Yes, you bet the panel was led into the above item. They knew all the fine detail about a Autumn bulletin former employee of Midland Bank, though treated his study with rather less Aims to be on your doorstep in the reverence than any of us would dare. Thus, the name Roy Crossley was airwaved middle of September, contributions by nation-wide and beyond. the end of July. Printed in time for the Roy has celebrity status anyway, but is now positively revelling in his ‘five min- Autumn field meeting and the AGM. utes of fame’. In one of the Yorkshire papers he is even accorded an accolade Would contributors please note that it as one of Britain’s greatest explorers. takes a minimum of 4 weeks to compile, edit, reproduce, collate and distribute And that’s not the end of it. On the Dipterists Forum summer field meeting each issue. Roy went to Walberswick NR where an artist asked him what he was doing. A Minor amendments or insertions may be landscape painting now has Roy (together with a couple of other Forum mem- negotiated during the 2 weeks following bers with minor bit parts), collecting flies. This completely unique painting is these deadlines but major items must be in by the deadline. to be displayed in a Suffolk art gallery and is said to be destined for hanging in a Royal Academy exhibition. Please let me know if you are about to contribute a Newsletter or other separate I hear that post now reaches him with the address ‘Roy Crossley, fly expert, as I need to include it on the “Fly sheets” Wilberfoss, York’. All that remains is for him to open the next Tesco supermarket list on the Contents page. in Yorkshire as confirmation as Britain’s one and only superstar fly explorer, with portrait in the National Gallery. Come to think of it, is not the BBC looking Two things at once for a new chairman presenter of Have I got News for You? The Spring Bulletin has to be pre- Alan Stubbs pared at exactly the same time that I finalise the Preston Montford Work- shop presentations. I am thus look- ing for volunteers to help out with completed articles for the next Bulletin (a temporary guest editor if you like) as otherwise the next one will be a rather thin affair. Darwyn Sumner

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