STAFFORDSHIRE INVERTEBRATE
GROUP (SIG)
Minutes of the 6th meeting of SIG held at 7.30 p.m.,
09th
October 2000 at Coutts House (confirmed)
Present: J Webb (Chair), D Skingsley
(Secretary),
C Slawson (Record Compiler), H Ball (Site Co-ordinator), E Brown, M
Waterhouse,
J Stanney, Roy Gillibrand
Apologies: D Emley, S Phipps, R Tribbeck, M
Webb,
N Collingwood , T Beynon, M Smart, M Bloxham
1) Roy Gillibrand (Mollusca) was welcomed to the
committee
2) Minutes of the previous meeting were presented
and
accepted as a true record of events.
3) Matters arising from the previous
minutes:
-
Contact needs to be made with The Herbert Museum
and Art
Gallery re. the Daltrey Collection
4) Events, Surveys and Educational issues:
Members discussed their role in the promotion and
recording
of invertebrates within Staffordshire over the previous 9 months:
-
EB - Survey of Brockton Coppice and Highgate
Commons which
revealed 20-30 new notable species for Staffordshire
-
HB - Survey of Cotton Dell. Also took part in moth
trapping
at Swineholes and Castern Woods with J Clifton. They report the
presence
of two notable micro-moths, which have gone for verification.
-
TB (reported by MW) - Lead a group of the Potteries
Outdoor
Group (PoG) to Chartley Moss. Also reported was the siting of 2 new
Odonata
to Staffordshire (one of which was a Downy Emerald)
-
RG - Visited 26 SWT nature reserves to compile and
update
Staffordshire's list of molluscs. One of the more notable findings was
the presence of the Platted Snail, a notable species associated with
Greater
Woodrush. RG has also established links with the Yorkshire
Conchological
Society via Adrian Morris of Leeds Museum
-
CS - (also reporting for M Bloxham) Surveys
of Walsall
Heath revealed the presence of a new millipede species for
Staffordshire
from an area of bare slag. In excess of 1000 species were identified. A
survey of Sots Hole also revealed the first positive identification of
M/F for a Dipteran species in the UK.
-
DS - Surveys of Cotton Dell and Manor Pools
(Staffordshire
Universities Nature Reserve)
-
JS - Surveys of Cotton Dell. Also took part in
Glow-worm
survey
-
JW - Leading School trip to Shoal Hill; Bee
and Wasp
survey of Shoal Hill, Park Hall CP and Gentleshaw Common. JW also took
part in the making of a BBC documentary and may be able to get hold of
film of solitary bees and wasps for educational purposes.
-
MW - Surveys of Cotton Dell, Staffs Moorlands
Quarries. Report
that some of the quarry sites particularly those around Mobberley were
places to watch out for solitary bees and coleoptera
-
Members apologised for not being able to take part
in the
Into Purple Event this year at Park Hall CP and Cannock Chase. This was
due to circumstances beyond their control
5) Cotton Dell:
So far surveys have been limited and much more
information
is needed before any firm recommendations about the site can be
reached.
To this end Cotton Dell will remain the SiG focus
for 2001 in order to increase the number of species recorded. From
the initial studies the wet flushes on the meadows look to have
significant
importance.
-
An interim report will be produced in order to
encourage
more members to visit this site during 2001
-
A single HOT SPOT meeting will be used in order for
members
to attend and meet other specialists. Dates to be arranged at the next
meeting.
6) Record compiler’s report:
-
SiG input to The Staffordshire Invertebrate Records
database
held by CS represents 10% of the total records lodged. This reflects
the
impact a co-ordinated group can achieve in a relatively short space of
time, and all members are to be congratulated.
-
Problems with Recorder 2000 have delayed the
transfer of
records to a single database. More details on this will be available at
our next meeting
7) BAP report:
-
An Aculeate hymenoptera check list well be
available by the
Autumn 2001
8) Survey Requests for 2001
-
MW suggested members might like to survey the
Rivers Dove
and Trent as both are showing up a rich abundance of wildlife. The Dove
Valley contains many SSSI sites for which permissions need to be
obtained
in order collect sample species. JW can obtain permissions from English
nature and SWT upon request
-
DS suggested members might want to explore Manor
Pools as
this is a new venture by Staffordshire University who are trying to
create
and manage it as a nature reserve and teaching facility
9) Internet Developments
-
CS has purchased the domain name staffs-inverts.org.uk,
which we can now, use to publicise our activities. The package also
comes
with 20 email addresses, which can be tailored, to the committees, and
recorders needs. CS to be reimbursed from SiG funds
10) AOB
-
RG asked members to inform him of any pond dredging
so that
he can sample mollusca
-
21st October 2000. Moth trapping at Cotton Dell.
Contact
Helen Ball for more details
11) Date of next meeting: Monday
February 12th 2001 at 7.30 p.m. Coutts House