Subject: Re[4]: Cockchafers in moth traps

From: Rebecca Jolly <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 1996 08:43:23 BST

Hi Chris

     Thanks for the sightings data.  I have a couple of questions...
     Are the 'First', 'Last' and 'Peak' numbers dates and if so do you know
     why the appearance/peak for 1993 was so early compared to 1995?
     Where are the sightings from (which bit of the country I mean)?
     Do you get males in your moth trap every year, i.e. are they a fairly
     regular occurence?

     Thank you for your help.
     Rebecca

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Re[2]: Cockchafers in moth traps
Author:  "Lepidoptera List (LEPS-L)" <[email-masked]> at
INTERNET-MAIL
Date:    03/07/96 03:17

On Mon, 01 Jul 1996 21:53:57 GMT, [email-masked] (Chris
Raper) wrote:

>On Mon, 17 Jun 1996 08:56:27 BST, Rebecca Jolly
><[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>>     Dear Chris
>>
>>     When is the right glow-worm season?  I live in Kent if that makes a
>>     difference!  Haven't seen glow-worms since I was about 12 and I feel a
>>     glow-worm hunting foray coming on this year!
>>
>>     Thanks Rebecca

Hi Rebecca,

The following is a screen pasted from my sighting logging software. It
is best viewed using a Fixed-pitch font. The number of sightings
doesn't seem much but Glow-worms are not my main field of study so I
don't always record ones that I see in the field.

Earlier sightings are most likely to be larvae while the bulk of the
figures in July are going to be the males that stray into my moth
trap.

 English Name   GLOWWORM
                LAMPYRIS NOCTILUCA

           1992  1993  1995  Total
 Quntity      3     1     5      9
 No.Sightings 3     1     5      9
 Average No.  1     1     1      1
 First      2/5  17/4   6/7   17/4
 Last       6/7  17/4   7/8    7/8
 Peak       2/5  17/4   6/7    2/5
 Pk. Qty      1     1     1      1

            APR  MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG       Total
 Qty          1    1    1    5    1           9
 Percentage  11%  11%  11%  55%  11%

Hope this helps. If you don't understand any of the numbers drop me an
email.

I will certainly start to look for Glow-worms from now on.

Cheers
Chris R.

--
All views are my own and are not necessarily those of my employer.

---

From: [email-masked] (Chris Raper)
Date: Wed, 03 Jul 1996 23:00:48 GMT

Hi Rebecca,

Yes, they are dates in DD/MM format. With Glowworms you have to allow
for the fact that the very early sightings are probably larvae while
the later ones may be adult males or females. Also, I don't _look_
for Glowworms and so the records are very sporadic and are not ideal.
Just use them as a guide.

Sorry, statistics and records can be misleading when the background
behind them is not explained  :-)

>     Do you get males in your moth trap every year, i.e. are they a fairly

Ahh, sorry - I didn't mention that did I (I drone on about my local
reserve at every opportunity so I tend to forget that some readers may
not know what I am talking about!  :-))

The site is Hartslock SSSI in south Oxfordshire (owned by BBONT our
Local Wildlife Trust). The reserve is 4.4 hectares (11 acres) of
unspoilt chalk downland surrounded by thick, ancient hedges and mixed
woodland. The reserve is almost entirely on a slope that faces south
and overlooks the Thames at Goring.

The reserve supports many rare and Red Databook species including
Orchis simia, Mecyna flavalis (a Pyralid moth) and, of course,
Glow-worms (in low numbers). Lights from across the valley probably
distract many males but the population seems relatively stable. Other
sites in the area are better and you can get 50-100 sightings in a
night on some of the other hillsides.

If you are going to be in the area (anyone) let me know and I will
show you round. Of course, every species has its season so if you
visit at the wrong time you may be disappointed.

Hope that helps
Chris R.