Hoverfly recording 2010

Roger Morris · #1 (**permalink**) 05-05-2010, 09:05 AM

Hello everyone

The season is now well in place and insects are around. This is a great chance to think about how we can contribute to the sum of knowledge of British Wildlife. For my sins I run the Hoverfly Recording Scheme with Stuart Ball. This year we are gearing up to produce an interim atlas of hoverflies for the Hoverfly Syposium in Glasgow in August 2011. Provided we secure sponsorship we intend that atlas to be supplied to all contributors who have provided 150 or more records.

The big problem we have is that there are lots of areas where the numbers of records are quite low. Do you live in such a place or close to a poorly recorded area (e.g. mid-Wales, The Fens, The North Pennines, and anywhere in Scotland)? If so you can make a big difference.

Ideally we would welcome collected material so that we can check IDs, but I know lots of readers will be averse to such things - so we can do a proportion from photos. It means we won't be covering the trickier genera but any records are helpful (even good old Episyrphus balteatus).

At the moment it is the season for Epistrophe eligans - it is a species that shows very distinct changes in flight period with yearly weather, so it is a good clime change indicator. How about a push to find it and maybe Portevinia maculata (on Ramsons)?

Do contact me via the Hoverfly Recording Scheme website Hoverfly Recording Scheme - Index where you will find all sorts of great things - the maps tell the story.

Happy hunting

Roger

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 05-05-2010, 12:57 PM

I have had Epistrophe eligans for some time now, both male and female on a regular basis. There is a shrub over my back fence which is a magnet for insects, it gets sun and is rather like the edge of a woodland clearing. My neighbour isn't here often so I do a daily take there, but it's being sold so future quests won't be as good unless I get permission from the new owners!

I'm very busy at the moment taking pics and editing them, as well as loading them up on my own site. You could pop in to take a look on my Daily Bug Log threads, I'll send you the link. They will be easy enough to pick out, with dates but the time is often past midnight so it would be the day before. All this seasons pics I still have in their downloaded folders so it might be a while before I move them.

I got a new one for me yesterday, Cheilosia illustrata male.

Janet

Geoff F · #3 (**permalink**) 05-05-2010, 05:57 PM

I will collate my information and pass it on.

Have been trying to keep records of most species this year; and have sent some to my county recorder.

I have seen several Portevinia maculata males at one sight over the past week. And I have added a few photos to the WAB Gallery including Baccha elongata and a rather early silver spotted Meliscaeva auricollis.