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Validating and verifying records

One important role for the County Moth Recorder is to verify the records that are sent in.  The County Recorder will check the records and may ask recorders for further details about certain records, particularly where these refer to rare or difficult to identify species.  Please do not be offended by this, as it is important that the records are as accurate as possible for the future use of the data.  If you have a new record for the county or record a rare species, please try to take a quality photograph or get the identification verified by a competent judge.

It is worth noting that that not all species can be easily identified.  Certain ‘critical species’ should be examined very carefully and most modern guidebooks give information about these.  An example would be the pug moths, which are very tricky and new recorders should seek advice from other experienced recorders until they become more familiar with them.  Some species cannot currently be identified accurately from their markings alone.  This includes a number of species often found in gardens, and positive identification of these can only be achieved at the larval stages or through dissection and examination of the genitalia or other features under a microscope. A list of the local macro-moth species that fall into this category is as follows, and all species are noted accordingly in the species accounts.