Butterfly Conservation - saving butterflies, moths and the environment
Butterfly Conservation
40 years of saving butterflies, moths and our environment
   Cambridgeshire and Essex Branch

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey - 2016

Where are we surveying?
How to plan the survey
Obtaining access to the survey route within squares
How to survey
When to survey and recording criteria
Exceptions to general recording rules
Species identification
Co-ordinator contact details

***LATEST NEWS***
New Squares added for 2016! Download the WCBS 2010 newsletter which provides a rundown of last year’s results and the fantastic news that the WCBS will continue for the next 3 years at least! Last year was a great success and we hope to improve take-up in the coming seasons!
Zoe Randle (National Co-ordinator) - April 2016

Would you like to help a butterfly survey scheme?

Can you spare time on 2 days in July and August to visit a grid square and do two 1km walks to record butterflies?

Then this is for you.

Between 2006 and 2008 a few Butterfly Conservation branches took part in a pilot scheme to test a method of sampling butterfly populations in the wider countryside. This method is intended to compliment, not replace transects, and enable records from a wide variety of habitats to be collected. The areas to be surveyed have been randomly picked by Butterfly Conservation headquarters to give a good spread in each branch area. Some squares will be rich in butterflies, others less so, but all results will be important.

Where are we surveying?

The 1km squares selected at random by the national survey co-ordinator are:

1km Square

Location

2014 Volunteer found

Wider countryside map for Cambridgeshire & Essex
CAMBRIDGESHIRE

TL2693

Pondersbridge

NEW

 

TF1504

Werrington, Petebrorough

NEW

 

TL2177

nr Alconbury airfield

NEW

 

TF1704

Werrington, Petebrorough

 

TL3843

Melbourn

 

TF2105

Newborough, NE of Peterborough

 

TL4498

Andrews Farm, 2 miles NE of March

NO

 

TF4513

Wisbech

NO

 

TL2486

Near Ramsey, 8 miles N of Huntingdon

 

TL3085

Just NE of Ramsey

 

TL4789

Manea, 5 miles NE of Chatteris

 

TL4989

Ouse Washes, 1 mile E of Manea

 

TL5373

Between Stretham & Soham

 

TL1166

Near Kimbolton, 5 miles NW of St. Neots

NO

 

TL3962

Near Dry Drayton

 

TL5764

Just N of Swaffham Prior

 

TL5456

2 miles NE of Fulbourn

NO

 

TL6142

Camps End

 
ESSEX

TL6415

Upper Harveys, south of Dunmow

NEW

 

TL7714

Terling, nr Hatfield Peverel

NEW

 

< TL8226

Buttons Green near Marks Hall

 

TL6226

North of Dunmow

NO

 

TL4404

Epping Upland, near Harlow

 

TL4610

Mark Hall South area of Harlow

NO

 

TL4833

1 mile NE of Clavering

NO

 

TL6935

3 miles N of Finchingfield

NO

 

TL7320

Great Notley, Braintree

 

TL8339

W of Bulmer, 3 miles SW of Sudbury

 

TL8536

Between Sudbury and Halstead

 

TL9315

Tolleshunt Knights, near Tiptree

 

TM1827

Great Oakley

 

TQ5390

Harold Wood, Romford

 

TQ6682

Horndon on the Hill, Thurrock

 

TQ7091

N side of Basildon

 

Newborough TF2105 Wisbech TF4513 March TL4498 Ramsey TL2486 Ramsey TL3085 Manea TL4786 Manea TL4989 Stretham TL5373 Kimbolton TL1166 Dry Drayton TL3962 Swaffham Prior TL5764 Fulbourn TL5456 Camps End TL6142 Epping Upland, near Harlow TL4404 Clavering TL4833 Finchingfield TL6935 Great Notley, Braintree TL7320 Bulmer TL8339 Halstead TL8536 Tolleshunt Knights, Tiptree TL9315 Great Oakley TM1827 Harlow TL4610 Harold Wood TQ5390 Thurrock TQ6682 Basildon TQ7091

How to plan the survey

If you are a surveying a square that has been allocated to you, it will be necessary to establish a fixed survey route through the square. The survey route is two parallel 1-km long survey lines across your square (running N-S or E-W), that are subdivided into ten continuous 200m sections numbered 1-10.

Obtaining access to the survey route within squares

A large number of 1-km squares have paths, roads, bridleways or open access across them. This information can be gathered from an OS map and the open access website (www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk). Unless there is open access to your whole square then it is important that you contact the landowner to gain permission to carry out the survey visits. We advise contacting the nearest dwelling to your square either by telephoning to arrange a visit or by sending them a letter. A letter template is available which outlines the reasons why the surveys are being carried out and what they entail.

How to survey

When to survey and recording criteria

Exceptions to general recording rules:

Species identification

Try to identify and separate all species you encounter, including where possible similar species such as Small and Essex Skipper, and the 'cabbage' whites.

Co-ordinator Contacts

For Cambridgeshire Squares: Vince Lea or phone on 01223 263962

For Essex Squares: Richard Bigg or phone on 01245 423823

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