General Recording
Recording, mapping and transects
Our preferred online method for record submission is the phone app called iRecord, it is completely free and is available for Apple and Android devices and also allows you to enter moth records (see Moths – an introduction). Apps such as iRecord Butterflies and the web based Butterfly Conservation tool BNM Online Portal will work in the same way. iRecord Butterflies will guide you through the identification of any butterfly than you see in the UK. You can compare you own photo with those from the app's extensive image library, filter species by colour, pattern and size, and see distribution maps and identification tips for each butterfly species. It does not allow the submission of moth records.
Our branch records collator will then be able to view and verify these records and may contact you if they have any questions.
The US based app iNaturalist can also be used but its records only feed through to us after they have received two suggested identifications in the app, something which we have found does not always happen.
Once you have identified the butterfly, simply enter a few simple pieces of information, such as the number that you saw and a place name (important so that the sightings can be checked on maps) and submit. The app will automatically calculate where you are (using the GPS in the Smartphone) and provide a grid reference for your sighting.
All your records go into a holding area where they are verified by us before being added to the county and national databases.
If you don't wish, or are unable, to use these tools you can submit a spreadsheet of records. The most convenient for us is in a spreadsheet
containing the following columns:
- Grid reference
- Place Seen or Site name
- Date
- Species
- Number seen
- Comments as needed
These can then be sent by email to Andrew Wood (email address on Committee page)
If you do not have computer or smartphone access you can submit records as a paper list, with the same information as in the spreadsheet example above.
Observations sent to this website are NOT added to our database.
Older records are very welcome and can be submitted in the ways above.
Any records that are submitted on paper should be sent to Andrew Wood 93 Bengeo Street, Hertford, Herts, SG14 3EZ (Tel: 07765 098824)
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