Northants Group Meeting

Tuesday 23 rd November 2004

Pitsford Fishing Lodge

Minutes of the Northants Moth Group Meeting

Those present: John & Brenda Ward (Chair), Philip Horsnail, Bob Gill, Mark Hammond (Sec), Pete & Diane Sharpe, Peter Tebbutt, Bob Freeman, Jeff Blincow, Paul Egerton and Paul Fuller.

Apologies from: Simon Wantling, Richard Baylis, Hugh Mathews, Derek Larkin.

It was also agreed that we did not achieve much success with regards to the target species, but this did not detract from the enjoyment. Only a single target was recorded during these visits, that being The Concolorous at Old Pond. John Ward did note that one of the best records for the year did come unexpectedly from the visit to Priors Hall Quarry (Wonderworld site), that being Dotted Fan-foot, representing the first record since 1939. John Ward suggested that this record indicated that the site was of considerable importance and should be worked regularly during 2005 and will attempt to obtain the necessary permission and arrange access. He will also try to arrange permission and access to trap Twywell Hills and Dales on a regular basis. The meeting agreed that we should perhaps have more than one target for each trip, falling in different categories of distribution.

The question of holding events on Friday or Saturday was discussed. Following a show of hands, the meeting was divided with regards to availability on either of those days. It was finally agreed that trips during April, October and November would all be held on a Saturday due to early sunset times. All others would be scheduled for a Friday (with the exception of the NMN event).

The web site reports were acceptable to all present and would continue in the current format.

2. 2005 Programme
John Ward suggested primary target species and associated venues, which were agreed as follows:

• Saturday 9th April – Castor Hanglands, for Mottled Grey and Barred Tooth-striped.
• Saturday 30th April – Collyweston Quarry, principally for Northern Drab.
• Friday 6th May – Salcey Forest, for Marbled Pug.
• Friday 3rd June – Twywell Hills & Dales, primarily for Light Feathered Rustic.
• Friday 24th June – Bedford Purlieus, for Sharp-angled Peacock.
• Friday 1st July – Yardley Chase, for Heart Moth (NB: this will be a restricted number of visitors and end at approx. 4am).
• Saturday 9th July – National Moth Night. It was suggested that group members all pick a different site to enhance coverage, but one suggested location would be Twywell Hills & Dales in the unlikely event that Chalk Carpet (an NMN target species) occurs on the limestone grassland.
• Friday 15th July – Deenethorpe Airfield, for Small Seraphim.
• Friday 28th July – Brampton Golf Course, for True Lover's Knot.
• August sometime – Stoke Bruerne / Grand Union canal for Balsam Carpet.

The above programme would be discussed in detail by the trip organisers in due course (i.e. John Ward, Philip Horsnail Mark Hammond & Jeff Blincow), with a view to adding some more trips during August through to November. Mark Hammond would publish the resultant full programme on the NMG web page and post out to those without email or Internet access.

The meeting agreed that arrangements for late cancellation seemed to work well during 2004 and would continue for the next season. Several of those present offered to forward on cancellation telephone calls to other members of the group.

With regards to daytime events, it was agreed that as these are dependant on good weather, these trips would be organised nearer to the time of the event, with notification being placed on the web site, backed up with telephone calls to potentially interested parties.

3. Web Site Comments
All those who had viewed the site agreed that it was of a very high standard and of significant use and interest.

John Ward told the meeting that there were approximately another twenty species write-ups to be published in the near future, thereby completing this aspect of the site. However, he pointed out that many would require updating following submission of 2004 season records.

A lengthy debate regarding moth images followed. It was eventually agreed that we would publish the best photograph of any given species, but not necessarily make them life-size, as this was very much dependant on the computer screen resolution and size being used to view them. It was agreed that John Ward would approve all images prior to publishing. A request was made for a list of the additional photographs required for the site and Mark Hammond agreed to prepare this and forward it to members of the group. It was also agreed that we could display more than one image for any given species if appropriate, i.e. a side on image in addition to an upright image of the moth in its normal resting posture.

4. Recorders Card
A draft version of the updated Recorders Card was distributed for comment. All agreed that this would be most useful and that it should be made generally available once completed. This will be done once the 2004 data is incorporated into the site and any revisions to the maps and write-ups have been completed.

5. Annual Group Meetings
All agreed that a single group meeting each year would be most useful.

6. AOB
Pete Tebbutt enquired as to whether group members should pay a modest subscription fee to cover administrative costs incurred in the running of the group and events. Philip Horsnail and Mark Hammond both made it known that they were happy to continue with the current arrangements, and that no subscription fees would be required.

All present thanked Philip Horsnail for allowing the group to use the Fishing Lodge, and for his generous hospitality.