Subject: Hostplant database

From: Gaden Robinson <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 11:40:53 GMT

This is a reminder  that there is a hostplant recording facility
on the World Wide Web. It makes pooling and permanently
recording rearing records of all Lepidoptera groups much easier.
It avoids the loss to the biological community of the many
rearing records that are never published. Please add your
records, and any published records that may be of interest to
others! The aim is ultimately to build a comprehensive reference
facility available through the Internet. The homepage URL is:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hostplants

Records entered into the form page are transferred regularly to
a Paradox database, edited, sorted, and then fed back into web
pages available from the home page. These currently hold over
1000 records. Please add records, even if you've published or
intend to publish them elsewhere.

Collected hostplant records form a large and valuable permanent
scientific record that can be used eventually to answer broader
biological questions about how Lepidoptera and plants interact.

The Web input page is intended for small numbers of records -
if you have larger numbers, we can handle most database and
wordprocessor formats and we'd like to hear from you!

At the same time as compiling the Web records pages, we are
assembling a complementary database (HOSTS) of published
hostplant records, employing volunteers and students doing
work experience. This database comprises nearly 50,000 records
(March 1996). Records input through the Web will also be
added to HOSTS. We are seeking volunteers to assist in
developing  HOSTS - if you are interested in helping, please
e-mail me.

Gaden Robinson
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Gaden S. Robinson, DSc, Department of Entomology,
The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, LONDON SW7 5BD, UK.
Tel.: +44-(0)171-938-9494. Fax: +44-(0)171-938-8937.
INTERNET: [email-masked] [or] [email-masked]
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