Recording moths in the countryside for the DECIDE project

With more people than ever before out monitoring moths, the DECIDE project wants to encourage moth recorders (and butterfly recorders) to not only visit new places, but to visit places where new records will be of most value in improving Species Distribution Models.  To do this we have designed a map-based web Tool (see here) that highlights local areas with greatest priority for more records.

Using the DECIDE tool, recorders can search in their local area to find areas where there are few records, but where distribution models suggest there is highest priority for surveying, and so where recorders can make the greatest impact on our current knowledge of species’ distributions. Surveying these areas will then provide records to help improve the distribution models. For more detailed information on the project please visit our website (see here).  We’d love to receive your comments, so please follow the links on the Tool to give feedback and let us know what you think.

As part of the project a small number of portable LED moth traps have been made available to loan out to interested recorders who would like to help target areas identified by the DECIDE tool. These traps are lightweight, running off a power bank. Recorders can use the DECIDE tool to select the best places to survey, based not only on the DECIDE score, but also on accessibility, proximity to habitation etc., and critically, subject to recorders acquiring permission from the relevant landowners to leave a trap out overnight. We may be able to provide some help with selecting appropriate locations and gaining landowners’ permission but ultimately this is the recorder’s responsibility.

If you are interested in getting involved and borrowing one of these traps, or would like more information please contact Marc Botham at UKCEH: math2@ceh.ac.uk

The DECIDE project is run by a multidisciplinary team including The UK Centre for Ecology (UKCEH) and Butterfly Conservation to support recording of moths and butterflies.  Much more about the DECIDE project can be found on the information pages and blog posts on the Tool (see here).  For those that record butterflies, there is also an exciting trial called MyDECIDE running this summer that will be exploring ways to improve automated personalised feedback on your recent recording.  Sign up on the Tool and get involved if you can!