Species Surveys
Record your observations and help us
Biological records provide information on the location, species and date of the observation. A species record consists of a minimum of:- WHO made the observation? (the Recorder) and WHO identified the observation (the Determiner, often the same person as the recorder)
- WHAT species was recorded? (the Taxon)
- WHERE was the species recorded? (the Site - a place name and grid reference or postcode)
- WHEN was the observation made? (the date, preferably the day date)
The County Recorders and the Essex Field Club are always involved in the survey of sites and species in Essex (see for example our meetings) and maintain county records as an ongoing process. However sometimes particular efforts are targeted towards certain groups of plants, animals or sites, and here all Field Club members, other naturalists and members of the public can help.
Many species of plant and animal are difficult to identify to species-level with certainty without considerable experience and/or microscopical examination, but we have been trying out data entry via the internet with a some species which are especially characteristic or easily recognisable. YOU CAN HELP! Since you can upload pictures to support your record we need you to register and then be logged-on to do this.
Help with the Tawny Owl Survey
MOST OF YEAR
Robin
Brown Hare
Rabbit
Grey Squirrel
Hedgehog records
Slow-worm survey
new garden bumblebee Bombus hypnorum
Daddy long legs spider Pholcus phalangioides
False widow spider Steatoda bipunctata, a scaffold web spider
False widow spider Steatoda nobilis, a scaffold web spider
Garden centre spider Uloborus plumipes
Harlequin Ladybird
some common ladybirds
Honey Bee
Rose chafer survey, Cetonia aurata larvae can be found all the year round
Woodlouse Spider Dysdera crocata
Spitting Spider Scytodes thoracica
Stag beetle larvae survey Lucanus cervus- Bees wasps and ants survey
- Veteran Tree Group
SPRING
Dark-edged Bee Fly - have you seen this fly?
Spring Flower Bee - have you seen this bee?
Cuckoo bee Melecta albifrons
Tawny mining bee in gardens
Frog survey - send in your records- Phenological network
SPRING/SUMMER
Harpocera thoracica, bug of the seaon
Lily beetle in a garden near you?
Rosemary Beetle - have you seen this beetle?
Green Tiger Beetle
A froghopper survey- rose chafer survey, Cetonia aurata imagos are out mostly from April till August
Swollen-thighed Beetle
Crab spider Misumena vatia
Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus- Stag Beetle survey
Scarlet Malachite Beetle
Glow-worm survey- Essex dragonfly survey
LATE SUMMER
Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi
Garden Spider Araneus diadematus
A cribellate spider Nigma walckenaeri
Southern Green Shieldbug
Rhododendron Leafhopper Graphocephala fennahi
Add your own survey as a registered user and member of the Field Club you can add your own survey by adding a page for your survey species, and then using the markup given to link to the page for submitting records.