Why Submit Data?
Moths, and other wildlife are under great pressure, both from habitat loss and climate change. While we have a lot of historic data on Somerset moths, there is still much that we don’t know, both in terms of their ecology and status. So every record we obtain helps to build up the bigger picture and helps us identify which species are suffering the biggest declines and may need to be targeted for conservation.
When should I Submit Data?
Most people submit data at the end of the year, but you may do so at any time.
How do I Submit Data?
There are three ways in which you can submit data, as follows:
- Our Excel Recording Template, downloadable below:
- National Moth Recording Scheme - data submitted via this scheme will be sent to us automatically later in the year
- iRecord - if you submit data using iRecord, it will be forwarded to us automatically
If you submit more than 200 records, use of a spreadsheet is our preferred method of data submission.
Completed spreadsheets should be sent to the County Recorder:County Moth Recorder
Mr. Neale Mellersh
Email address: sneale48hotmail.co.uk
Postal address: 40 Carlingford Terrace, Radstock BA3 3QA
Telephone number: 01761 753297
If you think you may have an unusual record, it’s best to take a good quality photo (if possible) and/or retain the moth for a short period. Then as soon as you can, send our county recorders an email to to find out whether you need to take any further action.
Verification Guidelines
When considering identification, please be aware of the Verification Guidelines. Many micro-moths, and some macro-moths are not straightforward to determine. So Butterfly Conservation created verification guidelines to help recorders know what kind of supporting information will be needed for determining the validity of records. Each species is assigned a verification grade, the meaning of which is explained in the document below:
The following documents set out the verification grade for each species. It can also be found on the species account pages:
Macro Verification Grades
Micro Verification Grades
Moth Dissection
The majority of moths are readily identifiable, especially macro moths. The same cannot be said of many species of micro moths, which may require dissection and examination of genitalia. This is a specialist area which may lie beyond the capabilities of most recorders.
In Somerset, one of our members, Paul Wilkins, is prepared to carry out dissections of micro moths for other members. Paul’s guidance notes on sending moths for dissection can be found by clicking below:
If you are interested in the technicalities of dissection, mothdissection.co uk has a lot of detailed information.
Data Privacy
Please read our Data Privacy Policy before submitting records or photos.