Butterfly Conservation - Kent Branch

Kent Branch News

Questionnaire Results

In early 2006, a questionnaire was sent out to all our members. The results have now started to come in. Below are some of the results.

Question Number	Question	Yes	No	No Reply	Other Commnets

Butterflies
1	Do you recognise the common British butterflies?	77	01	07
2	If not, would you enjoy beginners events?	11	04	70
3	Do you recognise the early stages of the butterflies such as caterpillars?	50	20	15
4	Would you enjoy field trips to look for caterpillars?	29	24	32
5	Day flying moths, some of which are quite rare, can be recorded by butterfly enthusiasts, would you like to know more?	49	13	23
Moths
6	Do you have an interest in moths?	56	11	18
7	Do you study moths in your garden only?	30	30	25
8	Do you go to the countryside to see moths?	21	33	31
9	Using a generator and light trap?	12	32	41
10	If so, to what locations do you go?	00	04	60	24 general & 9 specific
11	Would you enjoy going to see moths at special places and share in the use of a generator?	23	26	36
12	Would you like regular moth meetings to help identify micro moths and see moth from other habitats?	16	30	39
13	Our plan is to run such events in different parts of the county so that over time we hold a meeting in most summer months in most parts of the county. What locations would you suggest we visit?	00	02	57	7 general & 25 specific
14	Would you like to receive an annual summary of moths seen?	39	2	26
Interests
15	British Butterflies	74	00	11
16	British Moths	50	01	34
17	Migratory species	57	00	28
18	Extinct species	17	08	60
19	European species	32	07	46
20	Leaf Miners	09	04	72
21	Unusual + odd behaviour of lepidoptera	28	06	51
22	Biodiversity Action Plan species and Red Data Book species quarterly reports and annual summary	29	04	56
23	New members announced [name + town only]	11	07	67
24	Local groups and contacts	33	03	49
25	Local groups section on web site and in the newsletter	31	02	52
26	Reserve survey news	64	00	21
27	Butterfly survey team news	52	01	32
28	Photography, video and digital imaging	37	04	44
29	Recording news	49	03	33
30	National work news	26	30	46
31	Reports on species from other parts of the world	17	07	61
32	News from Australia [we have a good contact there]	13	09	63
Walks
33	What locations do you do to see butterflies and moths?	00	00	00	54 general & 40 specific
34	Are our events too far away for you?	26	28	31
35	What locations in Kent can you get to?	20	35	30	Answers describe 20 people who can go anywhere + 35 with restricted access evenly spaced across Kent, some very far away + 30 no replies
36	What locations would you like us to visit on filed trips?	05*	00	58	9 general & 8 specific. 05* = anywhere
Recording Database and environmental monitoring
37	If you have trouble with grid references ask us to telephone you on...	02	06	77
38	Do you record what you see?	56	08	21
39	Do you send in your records to be included in this work?	34	24	27
40	Do you record only from your garden?	17	40	28
41	Do you go to nature reserves, forestry areas?	51	04	30
Biodiversity Action Plan Species
42	Do you know which are the Biodiversity Action Plan Species [BAP]?	13	51	21
43	Do you know to report the BAP moths and to whom?	10	47	28
Websites
44	Do you know about our website www.kentbutterflies.org?	30	03	52
45	Do you know about our website www.kentmoths.org?	26	22	37
Conservation Work
46	We actively manage White Hill near Shoreham, would you like to help out, particularly as there is almost a social lepidoptera discussion whilst we carry out the practical conservation?	08	26	51
47	There are other areas that we are asked to help with. Can yo please indicate which parts of Kent you can help with	07*	05	63	07* = areas
Species Champions + explanation of the role
48	Would you like to have a go	12	29	44	9 strongly interested
49	You could do the whole of Kent. The East or West vice-county or be part of a team if several people wished to have a go?	03*	00	82	03* = locations
50	Which species would you like to concentrate on?	11	05	69	Mainly moth species
Projects to be involved in
51	Bonsai Bank; monitoring the effective clearance work by day and night	10	02	73
52	Forest Enterprise; surveying the woods to help with their management	14	01	70
53	MOD; surveying the training areas to help with their management	11	02	72
54	Woodland Trust; surveying the woods to help with their management	15	02	68
55	Blean INTERREG III; surveying to help with management of the Blean	12	03	70
56	Moth Book; surveying for as many species in as many places as we can	09	03	73
57	Purple Emperor "Master Tree" project; finding new populations	15	02	68
58	Downland species; surveying including looking for rare day flying moths	21	02	62
59	Woodland species; surveying including looking for rare day flying moths	19	02	64
60	Transects sole or shared; enhance our surveying capabilities	06	03	76
Indoor Meetings
61	Which town is the most convenient for you?	17	01	38	46 locations given. Most common answers were Maidstone 10, Canertbury 9, Tonbridge 5 & Bromley 6.
62	Would you enjoy coming to more indoor meetings?	28	13	44
63	What topics would you like us to cover?	16	00	69	16 topics provided
64	Can you suggest a place for it?	05	04	76	5 locations provided
65	Would you like the newsletter and website to tell you about Gardening for Butterflies talks and lepidoptera related topics by other organisations?	37	03	45
Local Groups
66	Would you be willing to use a local group?	43	07	35
67	Which area or town should it be centred on?	44	00	41	23 areas/towns suggested. Common answers were Bromley 5, Canterbury 5, Tunbridge Wells 4, Sevenoaks 4 & Ashford 3
68	Would you like to help with where to walk and meet?	09	13	63
69	Would you be interested in helping with the news side of the local group	08	15	62
70	Should the inaugural meeting be indoors or outdoors?	31	01	53	Answers varied Outdoors 12, Indoors 9, Either 7 & Both 3
Photographs & Video
71	Do you enjoy taking photographs and video films of lepidoptera?	36	20	29
72	Would you like to know more about our photography and stills evening?	19	09	57
73	Would you like to submit images for the website and newsletter?	10	18	57
Selling Plants to raise income
74	Would you like to have a go?	13	29	43
75	Would you like to help with these events?	00	00	85	This may not have been seen as a question
Events & Displays
76	Have to been to over butterfly event at Riverside Country Park?	06	35	44
77	Would you like one in your area?	20	11	54
78	Would you like to help to look after a stand at a show?	07	27	51
Planning Items
79	Do you look out for planning applications that affect the countryside or brown field sites in your area?	27	19	39
80	Do you know of any consultants surveying for planning applications if so, can you tell us who they are and how to contact them	02	34	49
81	Are there areas you feel should be surveyed because they may be subject to a planning application. If so do say where these are.	07	13	65
Are you an active land manager
82	Are you a professional land manager?	00	08	77
83	Do let us know if you would like to discuss lepidoptera with you in a professional capacity	01	13	71
84	Would you like conservation advise for an area	03	11	71
85	Would you be interested in surveying areas set aside for conservation for DEFRA	06	09	70
86	Would you wish us to conduct a survey of your land	06	11	68
Books
87	Millennium Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland by Butterfly Conservation	27	08	50
88	Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain series by Harley Books	21	04	60
89	Butterflies of Britain and Ireland by Thomas & Lewington	25	04	56
90	Moths of Great Britain by Skinner	18	06	61
91	Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain by Waring & Townsend & Lewington	26	07	52
Lastly
92	Do you wish to be a quiet supporter and not be directly involved in branch activities	44	02	39
93	What would you like to say to us	65	00	20
94	This Reply is from name and address to be supplied	77	00	08	8 left blank

Responses thus far Field trips have been arranged in many more locations, in different parts of the county and on different days. Also where a moth specialist has confirmed they will be present it has been stated that day flying moths will be identified too. We will also try finding caterpillars during the moth trapping events. More details of the successful photograph and video evening will appear in the news letter with reminders about the event on the websites. The BAP species have been put onto the websites. The online recording of butterflies has restarted on the butterfly website and note explaing this is not viable with moths has been put on the moth website, however a free recording program is being issued. More details about gardening for butterflies will go into the newsletter including items about food plants. Other lists of actions now being worked on, Species Champions, growing plants for sale, conservation work, and additional surveying.

Tony Steele steps down as Branch Organiser

At the Kent Branch AGM, in 2006, it was announced that Tony Steele was steeping down as our Branch Organiser. Tony will remain on the committee and we would like to thank Tony for all his hard work.

If you need to contact the branch please click here

Mike Brown steps down as Reserve Manager

At the Kent Branch AGM, in 2006, it was announced that Mike Brown was steeping down as our Reserve Manager. Mike will still be our Membership Secretary & Transect Officer. The committee would like to thank Mike for all his hard work over the years. Mike has seen White Hill change over the years, and without his support and effort there would be no reserve.

Peter Kirby has now taken over as Reserve Manager. If you wish to contact Peter, about White Hill Reserve, please click here

Ben Kirby on the branch forum - Wednesday 9th February 2005 - 20:00 til 21:00

Ben Kirby (I.T & Web Officer) will be on the branch forum, on Wednesday 9th Febraury 2005 - 20:00 - 21:00, to answer questions on the branch websites and to also talk about butterflies & moths. Guest will be able to post topics & replies.

Please come along to the branch forum and join in the chat.

If this proves to be popular we will try and arrange some more times.

Ben Kirby joins the Kent Branch committee as Website & I.T Officer

At the Kent Branch AGM, in 2005, Ben Kirby joined the committee as Website & I.T Officer. If you have any documents, articales or information you would like to have published on the branch website please contact Ben Kirby by email bkirby@kentbutterflies.org. You can also send articales etc by post. Please see the contacts page for address details.

New site live and all problems fixed!

The move of the Kent Branch website is now complete. The forum is now fully functional. Any member who joined the old one will need to re-register. Also the online sightings section is now fully operational!

Ben Kirby

Issued 19:00 06/04/04

New features coming soon to Branch Website

Some new features are coming to our branch web site soon! In April we will be introducing a system were you can submit your sightings online. Also this feature will allow you to search through the sightings submitted and look for records in your area or a certain site/place.

The current branch forum will close down and move onto the branch website. All the messages posted on the old forum will be transferred

As part of the new features, the Kentbutterflies website will be moving to a new server. Our web site address will not be effected by this move.

Sadly the branch website may be down for a short time, during the move. Details will be issued before the move takes place.

Kentmoths.org will not be effected by this move.

Mike Easterbrook - New Kent Branch Butterfly Recorder - as of 01/01/04

As many of you may know John Maddocks decided to stand down as branch butterfly recorder in November. Mike Easterbrook has kindly offered to take on the roll as of 2004.

John will still, for now, be the main contact for any site reports required.

Mike will now be repsonsible for entering the rest of the 2003 data into Levana & will take over the main roll as branch recorder in 2004.

If you have any other sightings or records prior 2003 please send these to John Maddocks.

John Maddocks: jmaddocks@kentbutterflies.org
Mike Easterbrook: measterbrook@kentbutterflies.org

An obituary to Geoffrey Pain

It is with regret that we announce the passing of Geoffrey Pain.

Geoffrey will be remembered for his enthusiatic support for Butterfly Conservation and acted as treasurer during the formative years of the Kent Branch.

Our sympathy goes out to his wife & family.

New Kent Branch "Moths" Web Site opens

The Kent Branch has now opened a new web site for moths. Please feel free to visit the site @ http://www.kentmoths.org.

The site contains the very latest moth news & events taking place, the Kent Moth Reports & links to other moth websites of interest.

New Butterfly Recorder(s) needed for the Kent Branch!

The Kent Branch needs a new butterfly recorder, or recorders, to replace John Maddocks who is giving up the job after the November 2002 AGM to concentrate on preparing the Kent Butterfly Atlas for publication. The work is highly interesting and is one of the most rewarding jobs on the committee. It is also rather demanding in terms of time so we are considering splitting the job in two.

One person could be responsible for entering the data from recorders onto 'Levana', which is currently around 20,000 records a year. Although this is a lot of data the 'Levana' software is easy to use and data entry is very fast.

The other person could be responsible for organising surveys, producing site reports for external organisations, liasing with recorders, head office and other conservation organisations, as well as our annual butterfly report producer and butterfly transect co-ordinator.

Ideally you would already have some computer skills and access to a PC, but we will provide full training and hardware if required. The data entry onto 'Levana' is particularly easy to learn if you are a bit wary about computers.

If you think you might be interested in doing this challenging work for the branch or would like more information before deciding, please contact John Maddocks who will be delighted to hear from you.

Contact E-mail Address: jmaddocks@kentbutterflies.org

New web site goes live

As of 09th July 2002 the all new Butterfly Conservation Kent Branch website opened. The site has lots of new sections for visitors to view including a new section about Kent butterflies with photos and information of where to find them.

Also, a new section called "Hot Spots" contains information on the best places to visit home & abroad. We would like to hear from you if you know of any places that you would recommended visiting to add to our list, home or abroad.

Please e-mail us with any recommendations @ mail@kentbutterflies.org

The White Hill Reserve website has now closed and the pages have now moved to this site. They can be visited by clicking on the appropriate link on the left.