Phase 2 introduction - British Arachnological Society
Contents
1. across Britain and the Channel Islands recording distribution information at 1 x 1 km or even 10 x 10 m where possible 2 To provide opportunities to extend our knowledge of the biology of spiders with special consideration of their habitats seasonal occurrence and population dynamics e g by recording distributions afresh on a regular basis so as to track changing distributions over time and collect and collate records with full dates numbers of males and females and habitat details to allow increased understanding of the adult activity periods and life cycles of British spiders 3 To establish a profile of the ecological characteristics of each British spider species Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 2 4 To establish a data bank which will form a base line against which future ecological work can be compared and provide quantified information on spider ecology which will aid future research and stimulate new studies 5 To identify the hot spots of biodiversity of spiders in the British landscape 6 To identify those habitats where species richness and or presence of notable species makes them of special conservation interest and how well these are represented in protected areas 7 To record the spider fauna of selected sites of particular concern to nature conservation and other areas whose habitat potential might be threatened From time to time the Scheme and the British Arachnological Society organ2. British Arachnological Society This replaced a scheme that was started in 1964 but which had fallen into abeyance The British Arachnological Society and the Biological Records Centre based at the Centre for Ecology amp Hydrology Monks Wood jointly administer the scheme Membership of the British Arachnological Society is not essential for a recorder in the scheme but is strongly recommended There is a National Organiser who is supported by a subcommittee of the British Arachnological Society and a number of Area Organisers each of whom is responsible for one or more vice counties Records from an area covered by an Area Organiser are sent to him her on a Spider Record Card RA65 or if possible in computerised format After checking cards are forwarded to the National Organiser and computerised data to Stan Dobson A committee of experienced arachnologists in the British Arachnological Society decide whether further verification is required and then these records are added to the national dataset and periodically forwarded to the Biological Records Centre For any area not covered by the network of Area Organisers records are sent directly to the National Organiser Peter Harvey 32 Lodge Lane Grays Essex RM16 2YP email grays peterharvey freeserve co uk The scheme has the following objectives 1 To define the geographical distribution at 10 x 10 km resolution of each species of spider found in Britain currently approx 650 species
3. absolutely all spider records If you have say 200 records of Araneus diadematus from your back garden we would be more than happy to receive all 200 records with full dates and male female information That s because we are keen to build up information on the adult periods of British spiders However if you don t feel you have time to submit all those records please submit one record for each year as a minimum Likewise if you record the same species from several different sites within a single 10 km square we would expect the majority of recorders to submit records from each site Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 10 Difficult species A number of spider species are difficult to identify or separate from other closely similar species and regularly cause problems To have difficulties in the identification of these or other species is nothing to be ashamed about Please get problem specimens checked by an expert since the accuracy of identification of records submitted to the scheme is crucial to their value We hope to produce a booklet providing guidance on difficult species Identification service All recorders are welcome to submit specimens to the National Organiser for identification Peter Harvey 32 Lodge Lane Grays Essex RM16 2YP email grays peterharvey freeserve co uk Batches of up to 20 specimens can be sent without advance warning but please check first if sending more than that Specimens must have l
4. new information on every British species The 647 species accounts have been written by volunteer authors without which the text could not have been produced in the timescale available The draft text and maps were available to arachnologists on the NBN Gateway and have been subject to the expert guidance of Dr Peter Merrett The large amount of feedback has helped to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the atlas Checklists for many European countries were consulted and most accounts contain a summary of the distribution in western and central Europe based on the information available Maps and distribution patterns It is comforting to see how well the distribution maps for various common spiders illustrate the success of the first phase of the recording scheme Species such as the comb footed spider Robertus lividus the money spiders Lepthyphantes tenuis and L zimmermanni the garden spider Araneus diadematus the wolf spider Pardosa pullata and the crab spider Xysticus cristatus are all widespread Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 3 across Britain What is surprising is the distribution of some other species previously described as common and widespread or widely distributed throughout Britain The nursery web spider Pisaura mirabilis the wolf spider Pardosa prativaga and the jumping spider Euophrys frontalis are species which the maps show are widespread only in the southern half of Britain but which become extremely sca
5. of species was not always supported by his own data and the data of the Essex Spider Group Male female date data were subsequently provided at very short notice by Martin Askins John Crocker Francis Farr Cox Richard Gallon Paul Lee John Murphy Robert Merritt Jennifer Newton and John Partridge to considerably improve the comprehensiveness of available date data so that a total of over 130 000 records became available covering many areas in the country All these data were worked into a usable form and graphed with the help of Martin Askins The results have been used to inform the phenology in the majority of the species accounts and to provide summary charts for most species An example is the wolf spider Trochosa ruricola usually described as mature all year or throughout the year especially in autumn and spring whereas our data show a strong peak from spring through to mid summer Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 4 Where from here Adult season data on the basis of latitude and longitude The fruits of the fourteen year old recording scheme are clearly provisional The phenology data incorporated at a late stage into the recording scheme are potentially even more interesting when looked at on the basis of their latitude and longitude in Britain using the 100km OS grid for northings and eastings The limited data available indicate that for a number of species the maturity period changes from south to nor
6. own system and consequently Stan is prepared within reason to modify what is sent to him if necessary At the end of this section there are some explanatory notes for the benefit of those who have not had much experience in manipulating data Stan is well aware that some of you know far more about this topic than he does and most will know more about particular databases and spreadsheets However having discussed the topic with several people he feels that a little help might be appreciated both with reading these notes and with coping with the user s manual of your particular system For general help and advice Craig Slawson Tel 01782 615658 e mail craig salticus demon co uk who has wide experience of computer systems would be willing to talk to you and may have spare copies of his pamphlet The Use of Computers in Biological Recording General comments Please make it very clear whether you are submitting data with the new phase 2 field structure or are still working to the old RA65 habitats etc Any records of rare species which are sent in on GEN 14 cards should also be included with the electronic data to minimise card entry Please ensure that there are no double quotes anywhere in the data fields This is most important as they prevent correct operation of the checking program Experience has shown that very few files submitted require no modification but please remember that the time you save by not formatting your r
7. species by mistake mark with a clear cross either side CATEGORIES Locality This should include at least one name which appears on the relevant Ordnance Survey 1 50 000 Landranger map Vice County Number and Vice County Name Watsonian vice counties provide a useful system of permanent divisions not subject to administrative reorganisation and give a good first check on the validity of a grid reference Details can be obtained from either the local Area Organiser BRC or the National Organiser Enter the vice county number in the form Dorset 9 Durham 66 Caithness 1 09 Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 19 Any records submitted for Irish vice county numbers should be prefixed 2 or 20 e g South Tipperary 207 Fermanagh 2 3 3 Grid Reference The grid reference should be made as detailed as possible For the 100km squares use letters as given on OS maps Numbers are acceptable but require care in correct usage e g For Harewood some 20 miles west of York Harewood House Park is SE 3 4 or 44 3 4 Harewood Fish Pond is SE 31 44 or 44 31 44 Harewood House is SE 312446 or 44 312446 With modern satellite grid referencing 8 figure grid references are realistic e g Harewood House SE 31224464 or 44 31224464 and allowance is made for this on the card Site Description Describe the nature of the site and whether it is of special status such as NNR LNR SSSI County Wildlife Trust Reserve
8. to know your limitations and ask for doubtful or difficult specimens to be confirmed unreliable data are worse than no data Another role of the AO is to try and stimulate interest in the county or area and get other people working on spider recording Even a few people can make a real difference in Essex there has been a core of just 4 people since 1986 One of the aims of the Spider Recording Scheme is to try and obtain better coverage of Britain and an AO should be encouraging this within their area or county It is therefore important for AOs to provide local arachnologists with feedback so that they can see the results of their labours Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 8 The National Organiser s idea of the role of an ideal AO is as follows e to collate all county records and generate feedback for all their local active recorders by keeping them up to date with the current status of species in the county e to produce draft working county distribution maps for all the species in order to help people see where the gaps are and look for possible distribution patterns e to verify and validate records for the county recognising the local significance of records and sending specimens to national experts whenever necessary it is not essential that County Recorders are themselves experts but should be able to refer material to national referees prepared to provide an opinion reasonably quickly e to m
9. which have only started to receive the attention they deserve during the past 50 years The publication of British Spiders Locket amp Millidge 1951 1953 Locket Millidge amp Merrett 1974 the formation of the Flatford Mill Spider Group and The British Spider Study Group and the subsequent development of the British Arachnological Society provided the first firm basis for the study of arachnology in the last half of the twentieth century The publication of a photographic field guide by Dick Jones Jones 1983 and then the massively important modern identification work by Mike Roberts Roberts 1985 1987 provided budding arachnologists with the tools to reliably identify most species of spider to be found in Britain Dr Peter Merrett initiated the mapping of the distribution of British spiders on an administrative county basis in Locket Millidge amp Merrett 1974 and has periodically published New County Record updates in the British Arachnological Society bulletin but it was the formation of the Spider Recording Scheme in 1987 and the remarkable enthusiasm and energy of the late Clifford Smith that has been instrumental in encouraging the active support of arachnologists and increasing the numbers of recorders History and objectives The British Arachnological Society collaborated with the Biological Records Centre to develop a revised Spider Recording Scheme which was launched in April 1987 at the time of the Annual General Meeting of the
10. 0 B Biological Records Centre 1 BRC Species Name 15 BRC Species No 15 BAS website 7 9 11 18 British Spiders 5 21 C categories 19 central grid references 12 character 17 checklist 11 collecting methods 17 20 collector 15 17 19 comma separated variable 14 compiler 15 20 compressed file 14 computerised format 1 county recorders 10 D database 17 database field format 12 date 15 19 dateclass 15 day 15 determiner 15 17 19 developers 11 difficult species 10 do I need to send in absolutely all my records 9 Dolomedes plantarius 6 E ecology 5 Eresus sandaliatus 6 evident management features 20 Excel spreadsheet 12 explanation of terms used 17 export 17 F female numbers 15 20 fields 7 14 20 fieldwork 21 file compression 18 file format 13 field structure 13 G GEN13 record card 9 21 GEN14 record card 21 gorse 16 20 GPS grid references 11 grid reference 12 14 19 Index H habitat 16 20 habitat other or sub habitat habitat structure and qualifiers 20 habitat qualifiers 16 20 habitat structure 16 20 historical records 8 history and objectives 1 how does the SRS inter relate with Local Records Centres 10 how should I send my records in 8 I identification 5 identification service 10 iso propyl alcohol 6 J juvenile numbers 15 L literature 14 20 Local Records Centre 10 14 20 locality 14 18 M male numbers 15 20 male female phenology data 3
11. Contents SPIDER RECORDING SCHEME History and objectives Newsletter The provisional atlas Maps and distribution patterns Male female phenology data Where from here Adult season data on the basis of latitude and longitude Spiders and management for invertebrates Patterns of change SPIDER RECORDING SCHEME PHASE 2 The qualifications needed to become a Recorder in the SRS Other factors that have to be considered Area Organisers Special sites Historical records How should I send my records in The new RA65 card v 2 Printing Do I need to send in absolutely all my records Difficult species Identification service Misidentifications What do I do if I think my records might already have been submitted What happens to my records How does the SRS inter relate with Local Records Centres and County Recorders Policy on use of records and access to records Submission of records The checklist GPS Grid references What grid references should I give Vice counties SUBMISSION OF COMPUTER RECORDS General comments Validation File format The fields Explanation of terms used SPIDER RECORD CARDS SPIDER RECORD CARD RA65 v 2 Categories SPIDER RECORD CARD GEN14 SPIDER RECORD CARD GEN13 References Index Contacts RHR BwWNHNNY NY VO O ao o o Nna j e e e e a a ODO NNPrRmoococoodce Re Re Ree m NBRwWWWN NNNNNP Ww N amp C CO SPIDER RECORDING SCHEME Spiders are a fascinating group of invertebrates
12. National Trust Property Forestry Commission Property etc Additional information on habitat site history management etc should be added here This often adds important information to that already coded under habitat etc Date This is the date on which the specimen was seen or collected May Day 1996 would be recorded as 01 05 1996 Christmas Day 1997 would be 25 12 1997 If the records indicated on the card have been accumulated over a period of time then fill in with whatever precision is possible e g 12 1996 or 1996 Please do not give dates of maturity in captivity here but give these in the notes field Maturity dates in captivity can be very misleading and may not be similar to those in the field Altitude Express in metres shown on OS maps both as contours and spot heights Source Cross through the one category which applies Field as indicated above Mus Museum specimens include any collection whether in a public museum or private hands Give details under Comments Lit Literature includes lists that have been reliably published i e which could be traced by a competent librarian Give details under Comments LRC Records sourced from a Local Records Centre Give details under Comments Unpublished manuscript lists card indices etc should be treated as Field records give as much information about the source as possible Collector Write the name clearly don t use an illegible sign
13. a context in which to view modern records and a base line against which to judge changes in the status of species New Recorders are asked to commit their existing records to cards giving precise information regarding date site grid reference habitat and any other available data or to submit the data in computerised form Area Organisers may occasionally ask to see specimens in order to authenticate early records With published records the date of the original field record should be given and the name of the original collector or Recorder if these are known If not the appropriate box should be marked Anon The bibliographic detail of the publication should be given making clear when the date of publication differs from the date when the record was made Similar information is required for collections of specimens in museums or those in private hands How should I send my records in Our preference is for people to computerise their own records using standard biological recording software and send them in to the recording scheme in electronic format The Spider Recording Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 9 Scheme needs to use a National Biodiversity Network NBN compliant system for managing the spider database such as Recorder 2002 However it is not necessary that recorders use this package There are plans to develop add ons for Recorder and MapMate to ensure that our phase 2 data entry requirements are avail
14. able to users of these packages Stan Dobson is working on an updated Windows version of his SPIREC software to help recorders input data quickly and easily in the required format Another possibility is an Excel spreadsheet set up with the necessary validations to allow recorders to input their records which could then be forwarded to the scheme Recorders will be kept informed on progress More details on the format of computerised data are given further on in the section on Submission of computer records Records are also welcome on standard recording cards forms e the revised field recording form RA65 v 2 for a list of species from a single locality e one of the single species cards produced by the Biological Records Centre BRC ideally the GEN13 The new RA65 card v 2 The new A4 recording form replaces the double sided A5 record card the old RA65 which was first printed in 1987 The new card includes completely updated species nomenclature and lists the genera in taxonomic sequence species in alphabetical sequence We would prefer recorders to switch to the new card but it will not cause any problems other than potentially valuable lost data if records are still submitted on remaining stocks of the old card Printing The intention with this recording form is that most recorders will print off or photocopy copies they need To view and print the recording form available on the SRS section of the BAS website at www britishsp
15. aintain a database of county records preferably on computer and in a form which allows ready exchange of data e to pass data on to the SRS check nationally produced maps and liaise with Local Record Centres to enable an exchange of verified data which can enter a national database managed by the national recording scheme Special sites When a Recorder visits a site having a special status such as a National Nature Reserve Local Nature Reserve County Wildlife Trust Reserve Site of Special Scientific Interest or any site thought to be of particular value for nature conservation the status of the site should be accurately recorded Recorders are particularly encouraged to visit such sites having first obtained the necessary permission to collect and record on the site The future protection and suitable management of such areas will in the long term be helped by the accumulation of high quality biological data such as that generated by the Spider Recording Scheme Unless data are being provided in computerised format recorders are asked to submit separate cards for each date each habitat and each major compartment within these important sites or to submit data using a keysite card an example of which is available for download at www britishspiders org uk srs srs html Historical records Records made in the past are of importance to the Spider Recording Scheme in addition to those that arise from current fieldwork They provide
16. and dry 2242 would equal sparse vegetation under stones debris peat wet 1 digit number which appears on new RA65 card 1 digit number which appears on new RA65 card 1 digit number which appears on new RA65 card 1 digit number which appears on new RA65 card Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 17 Management Data on habitat management and its effect on the resultant spider and qualifiers fauna could prove extremely valuable in the conservation of spiders of conservation interest These sections should be completed if the relevant management features are evident or known Otherwise leave blank Collecting methods 1 digit number which appears on the new RA65 card Notes 60 characters maximum 3 Explanation of terms used Strictly speaking a database is a set of data the dataset and the software to manipulate it The term is often used loosely to refer to either of these A spreadsheet is a special form of database which handles and displays data in tabular form with special provision for performing calculations on numerical items It is often used as a simple data storage medium A character may be a printing character also referred to as an alphanumeric character because both letters and numbers are included which is basically what appears when a typewriter key including space is pressed or a non printing character which is produced when a key is pressed but which has no obvious output for exam
17. and Ireland 5 21 U update your recording practice 18 Vv validation 13 valuable information 21 verification 6 vice counties 12 vice county name 18 vice county number 14 18 voucher specimens 6 16 21 voucher status 16 21 WwW web 16 21 what do I do if I think my records might already have been submitted 10 what grid reference should I give 11 what happens to my records 10 where from here 4 Wildlife and Countryside Act 6 Y year 15 Contacts National Organiser Peter Harvey 32 Lodge Lane Grays Essex RM16 2YP email grays peterharvey freeserve co uk Computerised data Stan Dobson Moor Edge Birch Vale High Peak Derbyshire SK22 1BX email stand beeb net Area Organisers Details available from the National Organiser or the members section of the BAS website British Arachnological Society Membership Secretary S H Hexter 71 Havant Road London E17 3JE BAS website at www britishspiders org uk Notes Recorder name SRS Recorder Number Additional species etc
18. ature If you cannot remember the Collector Number you were allocated leave the space blank and it will be entered by the National Organiser Do not use a number allocated by any other recording scheme on a spider card Determiner Many Collectors Recorders will do their own identifications but if another person has identified the specimens then their name should be entered clearly in this space Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 20 Compiler This is the name of the person filling in the card who will not necessarily be the originator of the records Collecting Methods Cross through the methods used to collect the species recorded on the card Do not cross through the number of the technique Habitat Other or sub habitat Habitat Structure and qualifiers This section is almost entirely for species habitat type correlations by computer Cross out one category only in each section habitat type other or sub habitat habitat structure and each of the four qualifier sections We would like you to complete a separate card for each habitat combination but if you cannot do this do not complete that habitat section If you are not sure about the type of wetland or grassland choose wetland other or grassland other Please note scrub and gorse appear in the main habitat category to maintain backward compatibility with the old RA65 card Please use these as sub habitats unless the scrub is an extensive habi
19. collected for distinctive species such as Pisaura M identified under a microscope but specimen not retained or lost W web for distinctive webs such as Atypus or Pisaura where the spiders are not seen O ova to indicate distinctive egg sacs such as Paidiscura pallens 1 or 2 digit number which appears on the new RA65 card There is some overlap of habitats to allow for compatibility with the old RA65 categories If you are not sure about the type of wetland or grassland choose wetland other or grassland other 1 digit number which appears on new RA65 card Please note scrub and gorse appear here as subhabitats of main habitat types Use these unless the scrub is an extensive habitat not obviously related to a broad habitat type 1 digit number which appears on new RA65 card This is an important addition to phase 2 recording and its submission should help quantify the ecological associations of species with structure and date Field layer would be roughly equivalent to sweeping and ground layer to grubbing at plant roots These are also an important addition to phase 2 of the recording scheme The more data of this kind we receive the more likely we are to be able to describe accurately the detailed ecological preferences of each of our British spiders These should be given as four separate fields or as one 4 digit number using zeros for no submitted data e g 0021 would equal no qualifier 1 no qualifier 2 s
20. dbook SUBMISSION OF COMPUTER RECORDS Stan Dobson is working on a Windows version of his SPIREC software which should allow quick and easy data entry into a variety of database software Mark Yeates is developing an add on to MapMate to allow data entry in accordance with our requests for phase 2 of the recording scheme We are hoping that Recorder 2002 will be able to provide a phase 2 compatible data entry system It may also be possible in the future to make available an Excel spreadsheet on the BAS SRS website that accommodates the data entry and validation facilities required for NBN compliant data entry Details on developments will be provided in the SRS newsletters Otherwise it will be necessary to follow the database field format outlined later in order to submit data to the scheme In the case of problems please contact the National Organiser or Stan Dobson Moor Edge Birch Vale High Peak Derbyshire SK22 1BX email stand beeb net Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 13 Stan has agreed to act as a clearing house and all computerised data should be sent to him for checking and possible modification before loading into the national dataset It is necessary for all records to be in a standard format that has been agreed with the Biological Records Centre and is set out below Ideally all records sent to him should be in this form but it is appreciated that some people may have difficulties in producing this on their
21. ecords correctly means extra time wasted for Stan If there are any queries or if you require more help in producing your record file please give Stan a ring on 01663 743551 or e mail him at stand beeb net The input of electronic data for the provisional atlas has now been completed but records should still be submitted so that the national datset can be kept updated Validation Two forms of validation are required syntax checking and record checking With one exception Stan only carries out the former to ensure that records can be read correctly for submission to the national dataset Record checking will be done on a periodic basis by a subcommittee of expert members of the British Arachnological Society who may need to examine voucher specimens for unusual or rare species 1 File Format Originally a strict naming convention for files was specified This has been found to be unnecessary and many people didn t follow it anyway so it can be abandoned However please make sure that your file names identify you as occasionally details have to be checked later and it isn t so easy when more than one file is called something like spiders csv Incorporate your name initials or recorder number and if you send more than one file please don t use the same file name Data can be sent by e mail preferably or as PC compatible files and can be on 3 5 floppy discs 100Mb Zip discs or CDs Large files sent by e mail should be c
22. een discovered in Gloucestershire and Warwickshire There are similarities here with the distribution of several more species of spider and some other invertebrates such as the ant Lasius brunneus Alexander amp Taylor 1997 it should be noted that the Thames and Severn Valleys have certain climatic similarities which include average daily maximum and minimum temperatures in January and July figures in The Climate of England some facts and figures The Met Office 1996 The maps frequently present more questions than answers but this is the nature of invertebrate recording and one that makes the results all the more exciting Whilst there is much to do to fill in gaps and record counties more thoroughly we already have enough information to act as a baseline for detecting future changes in spider distribution and to stimulate more research into their ecological requirements habitat management and phenology Male female phenology data Phase one of the recording scheme did not set out to record male and female data and therefore the dataset provided to the scheme on record cards and in digital form does not provide information on whether records were of males females subadults and juveniles very few spider species can be reliably identified in their juvenile state or of the numbers collected However at a late stage when working through draft accounts it became apparent to the National Organiser that published information on the adult season
23. eriene emphana from the Isle of Wight in 2000 Macaroeris nidicolens from Mile End in East London in 2002 and one species a six or eight eyed oonopid belonging to Orchestina or a closely related and possibly new genus is still only known from six specimens collected by Ray Ruffell north of Colchester between 1992 and 1994 The rate of discovery since the early 1950s has remained almost constant at an average of about 1 5 species per year Merrett amp Murphy 2000 SPIDER RECORDING SCHEME phase 2 The priorities of phase 2 of the recording scheme are to establish a better and more comprehensive system to obtain the data we need for a better understanding of the ecology phenology and effects of different management on spiders Please don t be put off by what may seem like an undue demand for detail In practice the minimum acceptable record to the scheme would comprise date locality 4 figure grid reference collector and identifier with preferably information on habitat On the other hand remember that information not submitted is effectively lost and cannot help improve our understanding The qualifications needed to become a Recorder in the SRS are 1 To be able to identify spiders to species level with a high degree of competence Like many invertebrate groups many spiders are difficult to identify correctly without experience Beginners will need to have their identifications verified and rarer or taxonomically difficult species s
24. es should be sent to the Area Organiser for confirmation but see below together with a separate Spider Rarity Card GEN14 for each species filled in as fully as possible The Area Organiser may in turn send the specimen s to other experts for further examination The specimen s will be returned to the collector as soon as possible SPIDER RECORD CARD GEN14 A GEN14 card the rare species card should be completed whenever a species is recorded which is not listed on the RA65 or which is rare or scarce either in Britain or the region in which it has been recorded Some additional information is required and there is space on the card for a sketch map of the site showing the location of the species SPIDER RECORD CARD GEN13 Although the RA65 is the preferred card for general recording there is a single species card the GEN13 This is of particular use for recording a single species from a variety of sites and at different times such as a set of records from many sites in an area such as a county or vice county Use of cards during fieldwork Since completed cards will be used directly with a computer and will then form part of the national biological archive it is essential that they should not be creased dog eared or soiled Recorders are therefore recommended to keep their field notes separately and transfer them onto record cards at home When despatched to the Area or National Organiser they should not be folded fastened togethe
25. hould be checked even when recorded by experienced arachnologists Area Organisers and the National Organiser are available to advise on identification problems Note that special courses are arranged by the British Arachnological Society and by the Field Studies Council for those wishing to learn how to identify spiders These courses are either for a day a weekend or a whole week and are held at various field centres throughout Great Britain 2 The ability and opportunity to undertake fieldwork that will provide records for the database 3 To complete record cards provided free of charge by the Biological Records Centre or to submit data computerised in the agreed format 4 A newly registered Recorder is supplied with detailed literature on how to complete record cards or submit computerised data Record cards and computerised data are then sent to the local Area Organiser who is responsible for the vice county in which the collection is made In the absence of an Area Organiser record cards should be sent directly to the National Organiser and computerised data to Stan Dobson Other factors that have to be considered are a Proper identification of spiders relies on the use of a microscope preferably a stereo instrument a powerful top light and reliable reference texts Many of the species on the British list are very small just a few millimetres in length Also identification of nearly all spiders requires careful examination
26. ider Recording Scheme is unlikely to be suitable for young children on the other hand the British Arachnological Society aims to encourage and help youngsters with an interest in spiders contact S H Hexter Membership Secretary 71 Havant Road London E17 3JE or the BAS website at www britishspiders org uk Area Organisers Area Organisers AOs are arachnologists who have undertaken to collate and help verify spider data for their areas usually counties and vice counties They are usually able to provide valuable assistance to beginners and may run field meetings to help record spiders in their areas Please approach them for help but remember they do their work on an entirely voluntary basis and can only do as much as time allows Records and record cards should normally be passed through the relevant AO An up to date list of these is occasionally published in the SRS Newsletter and will also be available on the members section of the BAS website as part of the BAS Handbook Basically an AO acts as a co ordinator for spider records in an area An AO needs to be able to build up a picture of the spider fauna of their area or county and recognise when identifications are likely to need checking or confirmation They therefore either need to be able to confirm species identification themselves or be able to send specimens to someone who can such as the National Organiser or our ultimate authority Peter Merrett The essential quality is
27. iders org uk srs srs html you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer This software is available as a free download from Adobe s web site at www adobe com products acrobat readstep html The form has been set up with margins of 1 cm on all four sides Some printers may require wider margins than this in which case check your printer options to see if it is possible to reduce the form to fit the page If you are going to use the form as a recording card please print onto at least 150gsm paper using a laser or waterproof ink jet printer for durability Anyone who would prefer to be sent copies from BRC please ask Other record cards can be ordered on line at www brce ac uk brcRecordCard shtm and are free If ordering supplies please quote a Recorder Number allocated by the National Organiser and the type of card required When a batch of cards has been accumulated send them to the appropriate Area Organisers or in the absence of an Area Organiser to the National Organiser It can be much more time consuming to process paper records than those in any other format Often this involves the records being transcribed onto standard recording cards However if for example you have records in a card index system and they are clearly laid out and legibly written it should be possible to input them directly please check with the National Organiser first Do I need to send in absolutely all my records We are interested in
28. ields listed below preferably in that order Please be careful here since it saves a lot of time and bother later on if your data are in the correct format The fields are all based on those that occur on the new RA65 card It is essential that all fields are included even if empty to enable correct importation into the national dataset It is much simpler and avoids the possibility of transfer errors if all fields are TEXT fields The only exception is male and female numbers and even here the fields may be text fields without any problem Required fields Source The digit 1 2 3 or 4 meaning Field Museum Literature or Local Records Centre or similar respectively Details of the Museum Literature source or Local Records Centre should be given in the comments field Locality 60 characters maximum The locality should include at least one name which appears on the relevant Ordnance Survey 1 50 000 Landranger map VC No Note that the Channel Islands number is 113 and not 0 which appears in some lists Occasionally the VC number is indeterminate In such cases use 0 and if there is a VC name field leave it blank Grid Reference 2 letters and 6 or 8 digits Use for empty digits With modern satellite grid referencing 8 figure grid references have become realistic and can be provided Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 15 Site description Collector Determi
29. information is not available leave these boxes blank Please do not give numbers of adult males and females here for specimens which have matured in captivity On the old type RA65 card heavy type face was used for the 143 commoner species normal type face for the 209 frequently recorded species and normal type face prefixed by an asterisk for 155 uncommon species The distinction between the categories has been arbitrary and largely based on southern spider populations In the new card rare species are marked with an asterisk but it should be remembered that even widespread species can be rare and highly significant outside their normal range and that some common species can present difficulties in identification and may need checking by experts Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 21 Voucher status V voucher specimen available It must be realised that records not supported by voucher specimens may have to be excluded from the recording scheme N noted but no specimen collected M identified under a microscope but specimen not retained or lost W web for distinctive webs such as Agelena Atypus or Pisaura where the spiders are not seen O ova to indicate distinctive egg sacs such as P pallens Notes additional species etc Write the name s of any other species not included in the printed species list on the card that have been recorded A voucher specimen of each of such speci
30. ise surveys of specific sites 8 To lead in the assessment of species rarity and conservation status for spiders in Britain No membership fees or subscriptions are involved but occasionally the cost of posting specimens for verification may have to be met Newsletter The Spider Recording Scheme Newsletter is issued three times a year March July and November and contains articles and notes submitted by recorders on all aspects of the recording of spiders as well as regular updates on the progress being made in the recording scheme From November 2002 the newsletter has been incorporated with that of the British Arachnological Society as SRS News but is available separately to recorders who are not members of the Society The provisional atlas One of the main aims of the recording scheme is to provide up to date data on the distribution of spiders in Britain In the first fourteen years of recording 1987 2000 over 1500 volunteers have contributed more than 517 000 records Overall coverage is good although not surprisingly it is patchy in some areas with a number of counties intensively recorded whilst other areas remain more poorly covered Provisional maps with species accounts and phenology charts were published in 2002 Harvey et al The two volumes are available from CEH Publications Monks Wood Abbots Ripton Huntingdon Cambridgeshire PE17 2LS at 20 incl p amp p The provisional atlas provides a very great amount of
31. km square as the central grid reference Unfortunately however lists of old records for a site that cannot be checked in any more detail can only be recorded in this way or by choosing at random one of the 10km squares covered by a large site In these cases record central grid references by including centroid in the locality name as in the following example Abernethy RSPB Reserve centroid with a 6 figure central grid reference Vice counties The system of vice counties was decided upon by H C Watson in 1852 who divided Britain into units of roughly equal area for botanical recording purposes His system was later extended to Ireland by Praeger Vice counties have been widely adopted by naturalists in preference to the ever changing administrative counties vice county boundaries will not move It is very useful to include the vice county VC as well as the grid reference with each record It becomes possible to check that grid references are not wildly inaccurate and to sort records into counties for use by county recorders and local records centres So whenever possible please enter both the VC and the grid reference on your records VC maps may be viewed on line at http www brc ac uk brcMaps shtm and the same web page also gives details of how to obtain a free paper copy of the Ray Society VC maps scale 1 625 000 from BRC A small scale map is provided to members of the British Arachnological Society in the Members Han
32. management 5 17 management features and qualifiers 16 20 MapMate 9 12 maps and distribution patterns 2 members section 7 method of recording 21 microscope 5 21 minimum acceptable record 5 misidentifications 10 month 15 museum 14 20 N National Biodiversity Network 9 10 national dataset 1 National Organiser 1 10 NBN Gateway 10 new recording form 9 newsletter 2 noted no specimen collected 21 notes additional species 21 numbers of males and females 20 0 objectives 1 old RA65 13 ordering supplies 9 other factors that have to be considered 5 other or sub habitat 20 ova 16 21 P patterns of change 4 phenology 5 photographs 7 policy on use of records and access to records 10 printing record cards 9 problem specimens 9 provisional atlas 2 13 Q qualifications needed to become a Recorder 5 qualifiers 20 R RA65 record card 9 18 rare species 6 record 17 record cards 5 8 9 18 21 Recorder 2002 9 12 recorder number 9 required fields 14 S scrub 16 20 separators 17 site description 15 19 source 14 19 special sites 8 species recorded 20 species that are rare or uncommon 6 Spider Recording Scheme phase two 5 spiders and management for invertebrates 4 Spiders of Britain amp Northern Europe 5 21 SPIREC 9 12 spreadsheet 17 string 17 subhabitat 16 20 submission of computer records 8 12 submission of records 11 T text fields 14 The Spiders of Great Britain
33. mately Please insert this immediately after the Year field and enter a single character C or P meaning after before about use average date for a range or published in undated literature record respectively Leave blank for known dates In metres This is the number as it appears on the RA65 card Omit the prefix 6708 The name as it appears on the RA65 card In order to eliminate typing errors the name will be checked against the number Data are now being requested for statistical work on the seasonal appearance of the sexes and juveniles If possible please include three separate fields for adult males adult females and juveniles giving either the number seen or collected Only record juveniles if you can be absolutely certain they belong to the species in question This applies to very few species Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 16 Voucher status Habitat Subhabitat Habitat structure Habitat qualifiers Habitat qualifier 1 Habitat qualifier 2 Habitat qualifier 3 Habitat qualifier 4 If this is not possible use a single field with an indication such as Im 2f If egg sacs are seen with females it would be a good idea to note this in the notes field V voucher specimen available It must be realised that records not supported by voucher specimens may have to be excluded from the recording scheme N noted but no specimen
34. mposed of two or more species e g as with Enoplognatha ovata latimana Meioneta saxatilis mossica Walckenaeria antica alticeps A collection should be organised along the lines recommended by John Cooke in the Bulletin of the British Spider Study Group 32 1 3 Voucher specimens are needed to ensure that no errors are made in identifying the species This problem tends to be greater for the rarer species because collectors recorders do not have many specimens with which to make comparisons In almost all cases specimens can be collected without making any significant difference to the population collecting has a minute impact compared with natural mortalities and the loss ofhabitat to unsympathetic management modern agricultural practices and various land developments However rarer species should be collected with restraint and Dolomedes plantarius and Eresus sandaliatus are protected under schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act and may not be collected without a licence from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee For these species and perhaps for a few others where collecting may be feared to endanger the population corroboration of the record in the form of a good quality photograph with detailed notes would be welcome If possible note enough detail to enable the site to be located again so that if necessary a visit by an experienced arachnologist could be arranged In the early stages of involvement in the Scheme a Recorder ma
35. n of computerised data records on cards will always be welcome Page 9 explains how to obtain cards SPIDER RECORD CARD RA65 v 2 This is the main card for use when a number of species have been recorded at one locality on one date Consistency in recording is essential if the data are to be useful This is perhaps especially important for the recording of habitat information Now that we have a set of distribution maps we need a firm scientific basis for recording ecological data Distribution maps are very useful but they cannot be explained fully without ecological knowledge and the only way to obtain this is for recorders to follow the same recording system Please take the time to update your recording practice to follow the format of the new record cards It will be essential to bring about a greater understanding of our spider fauna The nomenclature and sequence of species on the old RA65 card was based on the 1985 Check List published in Bull Br arachnol Soc 6 9 381 403 There have been changes in nomenclature since 1985 especially in terms of family order and the new RA65 card follows the checklist published in 2000 Bull Br arachnol Soc 11 9 345 358 Please contact the National Organiser if confusions arise Please complete the card clearly using pencil or alcohol water and light proof black ink not too fine and not too thick Use capitals to help make sure your writing is easily readable If you cross through a
36. ner Compiler Day Month Year Dateclass Altitude BRC Species No BRC Species Name Adult male nos Adult female nos Juvenile nos Describe the nature of the site and whether it is of special status such as NNR LNR SSSI County Trust Reserve National Trust Property Forestry Commission Property etc Additional information on habitat site history management etc should be added here This often adds important information to that already coded under habitat etc Use names for casual collectors recorders otherwise SRS number if known Use names for non SRS Recorder eg records from the literature otherwise SRS number if known If there are many names in the collector and determiner fields it would help a lot if they are entered surname first Numbers have to be allocated to these names and it is very much quicker changing them if the surnames come first Your SRS number given to you when you join the recording scheme 2 digit 2 digit 4 digit Please do not give dates of maturity in captivity here but give these in the notes field Maturity dates in captivity can be very misleading and not at all like those in the field A second set of date fields can be included if dates are available for records resulting from trapping work Please do not use a second date field to give date ranges such as 1985 2003 or similar This field has been introduced for use when the date is known only approxi
37. northings and eastings is thus spurious The new card allows for 8 figure grid references from GPS Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 12 users To help prevent grid reference errors reference should be made to A Cautionary Note to GPS Users by Stan Dobson in S R S News No 45 in Newsl Br arachnol Soc 96 March 2003 What grid reference should I give Please give the grid reference of the smallest grid square which encompasses the area you sampled If all your sampling was done at a point e g pitfall trapping or within a very small area please try to give a 6 figure grid reference e g TL201799 If you wandered a little more widely but stayed within a single 1 km square i e a 1 x 1 km grid square please give the 4 figure grid reference e g TL20 79 often written as just TL2079 If you cover several adjacent 1 km squares please try and keep separate lists for each square As a last resort submit the records for the 10 km square with a 2 figure grid reference e g TL2 7 or TL27 If you are recording near the boundary between two 10 km squares it is essential to keep separate records for each square Please do not give central grid references as have sometimes been used for nature reserves and other sites These tend to be 6 figure grid references for a central point of the reserve whereas the records submitted may come from anywhere within the reserve and not necessarily even within the same 10
38. ocality and date data attached If you think you know what species it is no matter how tentatively please add a determination label it is really valuable to see where identification problems can arise Finally though you might get your specimens back pretty quickly you might not please be patient Misidentifications There is an established process for correcting identification errors in the database If you discover that you have submitted a record that was misidentified please let the Area Organiser and National Organiser know and the necessary corrections will be made to the database What do I do if I think my records might already have been submitted Duplicate records are absolutely no problem In the past efforts have been made in biological recording to reduce duplicate records but in the present day computer memory is cheap enough that we need not worry We would rather have your records twice or more times than not at all so if in doubt re submit What happens to my records Firstly we will check over all records and may ask for further information or ask to see specimens to confirm exceptional records Secondly records will be computerised as necessary and validated The validation process involves running automated checks on dates and locality information e g checking that the grid reference matches the vice county If any problems are found which cannot easily be solved you may be contacted again to help resolve
39. of tiny morphological features A standard reference text on British spiders is required The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland 3 volumes by M Roberts British Spiders 3 volumes by Locket and Millidge and Locket Millidge and Merrett These items are all rather expensive A cheaper alternative is the Collins Field Guide Spiders of Britain amp Northern Europe by Michael J Roberts but this does not cover all the species Some experience of using a microscope and dichotomous keys is essential A determination key to family genera and species of Central European spiders available at www araneae unibe ch may be of additional use but of course includes a great many spiders not recorded in Britain Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 6 b Special attention should be paid to those species that are rare or uncommon Full details of c date site habitat and status should be noted and specimen s should be sent to the appropriate Area Organiser for verification They in turn may seek further help from other experts before returning the specimens to the Recorder The Spider Rarity Card GEN14 should be used for rare species This is helpful even if data are being submitted in computerised format Verification and voucher specimens Recorders should normally retain all specimens This enables valuable information to be obtained when for example it is realised that what had been regarded as a single species is in fact co
40. ompressed to save downloading time Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 14 The file can be in csv comma separated variable form as plain text or as an Excel or Access file Other data formats may be acceptable please contact Stan for further information Field names in a header row are acceptable If records arrive which do not conform to the preferred specification they can be modified provided that they contain no fields other than those specified The date can be sent as a single field if it is not possible to separate it into day month and year If your files require modification would you please specify the format as sent either with an attached note or in a text file on the disc It would also be helpful if you could indicate the nature of the modifications required Here are some of the possibilities re order the fields add missing fields convert species or vice county names to numbers change source Field etc to number convert heights in feet to metres separate dates into day month and year re format the grid reference If you are confident that a compressed file will require no modification it can fill the entire disc otherwise make sure that it fills less than half the disc because the original will be sent to the national dataset together with the modified version Normal files can be compressed after checking if they are too large 2 The Fields Each record should contain the f
41. only recognised this can be any character and the comma is frequently used in which case the field is a comma separated variable or csv field In order to prevent confusion between the chosen separator and the same character within a string in a field and the resultant incorrect separation into fields the separator must be a character which will never be encountered otherwise for example the tab character or strings are enclosed encapsulated in double quotes This means that double quotes or commas must NOT be used within strings The encapsulating character and the field and record separators are often referred to as delimiters Records presented in this way are in delimited text form Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 18 With most modern databases and spreadsheets it is a straightforward procedure to export data into a text file and select the delimiters mentioned above File compression is a technique which reduces the size of files by procedures such as removing redundant characters The output from a database in text form will contain many spaces which serve no useful purpose removing these may reduce the file size by as much as fifteen to one The compression procedures and the converse decompression are sometimes loosely referred to as zipping and unzipping PKZIP and WINZIP are widely used programs to do this SPIDER RECORD CARDS Although phase 2 of the recording scheme encourages the submissio
42. ple the escape key Esc In a computer these are encoded into a sequence of binary digits the most widely used code being ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange A string in this context a character string is a sequence of characters in order A record is a unit of storage in a database which contains all the information pertaining to a particular event or occurrence Each item of information is held in a field which may hold a string a number or some other specialised form such as a date Note that there is a subtle difference between a number and the string of digits representing that number For instance a list of numbers would be right justified but a list of the equivalent strings would be left justified If the lists were sorted in say ascending order then 11 would precede 100 in the number list as you would expect but it would be reversed in the string list Once data are entered into a database in the form of records these records may be exported to another database which then imports them One of the most straightforward ways of doing this is for the source database to write the data into a file from which the target database reads them If the file can be read by a simple text editor it is an ASCH file or text file The records and fields within the records need separators to distinguish one from the next The most common record separator is a new line Several field separators are comm
43. r expanding its range in southern England as a result of climate change in particular longer milder autumns The crab spider Philodromus praedatus is a species with an interesting history in Britain The spider is typically found on mature oak trees in open situations in wood pasture at the edge of woodland rides or in old hedgerows but it is also sometimes found on other trees such as Field Maple Although males are easy enough to distinguish from other members of the aureolus group females are difficult without dissection and reference to reliably identified specimens It was first recorded from Dorset in the nineteenth century by Pickard Cambridge 1879 In 1974 the species was still only known from old specimens taken at Bloxworth Dorset New Forest Hampshire and Shrewsbury Shropshire However by the time Dr Peter Merrett published his review of nationally notable spiders in 1990 the spider had been recorded in ten counties mainly in southern England but also Inverness shire and the spider is now known from 25 counties This remarkable change does not seem to be due to any increase in range or abundance but rather the result of the recognition of good characters for its separation from other closely related species and a clarification of its ecological preferences New species to Britain continue to be discovered such as Megalepthyphantes collinus occidentalis from Sheppey and Wabasso quaestio replicatus from the Insh Marshes in 1999 N
44. r with paper clips or held together with rubber bands unless protected by cardboard References Alexander K N A amp Taylor A 1997 The Severn Vale a national stronghold for Lasius brunneus Latreille Hymenoptera Formicidae Br J Ent Nat Hist 10 217 219 Cambridge O Pickard 1879 The spiders of Dorset 1 1 235 Sherborne Harvey P R Nellist D R amp Telfer M G eds 2002 Provisional atlas of British spiders Arachnida Araneae Volumes 1 amp 2 Biological Records Centre Huntingdon Jones D 1983 The Country Life Guide to Spiders of Britain and Northern Europe Feltham Country Life Books Locket G H amp Millidge A F 1951 British Spiders Volume I Ray Society London Locket G H amp Millidge A F 1953 British Spiders Volume II Ray Society London Locket G H Millidge A F amp Merrett P 1974 British Spiders Volume III Ray Society London Merrett P 1990 A Review of the Nationally Notable Spiders of Great Britain NCC Merrett P amp Murphy J A 2000 A revised check list of British spiders Bull Br arachnol Soc 11 9 345 358 Roberts M J 1985 The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland Vols 1 amp 3 Harley Books Colchester Roberts M J 1987 The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland Vol 2 Harley Books Colchester A adult season data latitude and longitude 4 alcohol 6 alcohol proof and waterproof ink 6 altitude 15 19 Area Organisers 1 5 7 9 1
45. rce further north The maps for the colourful crab spider Misumena vatia and the orb web spider Araneus triguttatus show a very pronounced southern and south eastern distribution respectively Many spiders are associated with higher altitudes and northern latitudes Good examples include the money spiders Hilaira pervicax Meioneta nigripes and Scotinotylus evansi Some have western and northern distributions and are absent or extremely scarce in the south east such as the dictynid spider Cryphoeca silvicola and the agelenid spider Textrix denticulata Other species show interesting patterns of distribution some well known to arachnologists and some more surprising The attractive little jumping spider Talavera petrensis is a rare southern heathland species which also occurs under stones on mountains in a few widely scattered localities in the north Another rare species the cryptically coloured crab spider Philodromus margaritatus occurs on trunks of trees especially where these are covered with lichens It also has a disjunct distribution occurring in scattered localities in the south of England and central Scotland A number of species such as the orb web spiders Mangora acalypha and Zilla diodia show an interesting distribution stretching in a band across southeastern and central southern England and then reappearing in the Severn Vale One spider Nigma walckenaeri has long been known from the Thames valley and London area but has more recently b
46. tat not obviously related to a broad habitat type Field layer would be roughly equivalent to sweeping and ground layer to grubbing at plant roots If the habitat is unknown or specimens are from more than one habitat or habitat qualifer on a site then do not complete that section However remember that data not provided are lost data If at all possible complete a separate RA65 for each habitat and habitat structure this is the only way we can accumulate the data necessary to learn more about each species As before cross through the wording but not the number Evident management features and qualifiers 1 and 2 This section should be completed if the relevant management features are evident or known Otherwise leave blank Data on habitat management and its effect on the resultant spider fauna could prove extremely valuable in the conservation of spiders Species recorded and numbers of males and females The presence of a species is recorded by crossing through its name using black ink black ball point or black felt tip pen The number prefixing the species abbreviation should not be crossed through Numbers of adult males and females collected recorded should be written in the adjacent boxes This will provide valuable information that can be used to update and extend the existing phenology charts for the whole of Britain and provide additional information that might enable the monitoring of any changes due to climate If this
47. th and east to west and the collection of wider ranging and comprehensive data would be a valuable advance for the next phase of the recording scheme Spiders and management for invertebrates Arachnids insects and other invertebrate groups play a vital role in ecological systems and the importance of invertebrates is increasingly being recognised in nature conservation and management The complex structural mosaic of a habitat and its diversity are very important to many invertebrates Spiders are no exception although their general lack of prey specialism means that floral and faunal diversity is unlikely to be as important as the structural spaces presented by the ground topography and vegetation affecting features such as microclimate and web construction These are the very factors likely to be most influenced by different management regimes and spiders should therefore be valuable indicators on the success or otherwise of such management and the health of the countryside Patterns of change The recording of spiders on a detailed national basis is at too early a stage to monitor changes in the populations of species although changes have undoubtedly occurred at an alarming rate especially in southern England where modern agriculture and other developments have taken an enormous toll on wildlife habitats and their associated flora and fauna However a few species have clearly increased their distribution including Argiope bruennichi a spide
48. them Validated records are then added to the Spider Recording Scheme database a copy of which is held at the Biological Records Centre BRC which provides a secure long term computer archive for the records BRC also provides archive storage of the record cards in fire proof filing cabinets How does the SRS inter relate with Local Records Centres and County Recorders Spider Recording Scheme Area Organisers very often also act as County Recorders for their local county They are usually very good at collating and sometimes also computerising records and then forwarding checked and validated cards and datasets to the national scheme We would like to promote similar arrangements with any county recorders not part of the SRS and with the many Local Records Centres LRCs where these are in place In return we can help by scrutinising local datasets and helping to check records If you have submitted records to a LRC or a county spider recorder who is not also an Area Organiser for the SRS and you are wondering whether they have been forwarded on to the SRS the answer is probably not Please either submit your records directly to the National Organiser or put them in touch with whoever holds your records locally Policy on use of records and access to records Records entered into the Spider Recording Scheme database will be used where appropriate as follows Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 11 e to improve
49. understanding of the distributions natural history and ecology of British spiders e to promote the study of spiders e to conserve spiders and their habitats It is intended that records will be made available to all with appropriate safeguards including via the internet using the National Biodiversity Network s Gateway web site www searchnbn net However the following exceptions apply e Information on the localities of species considered vulnerable to over collecting will be released at the discretion of the scheme organiser e Information may not be released if there is considered to be a reasonable chance of one or more of the following occurring failure to give suitable credit or acknowledgement of the use of SRS data misinterpretation of SRS data in such a way as to harm the objectives of use stated above abuse of the SRS dataset in such a way as to glean personal information about the people contributing to the dataset unauthorised sale or distribution of SRS data Developers requiring data for environmental assessments will be expected to pay commercial rates for access to recording scheme data Submission of records It is considered that consistency in recording is essential if the data are to be useful This is perhaps especially important for the recording of habitat information Now that we have a set of distribution maps we need a firm scientific basis for recording ecological data Distribution maps are very
50. useful but they cannot be fully explained without ecological knowledge The only way to obtain this is for recorders to follow the same recording system Please take the time to update your recording practice to follow the format of the new record cards and computer field structure It will provide us with invaluable understanding of our spider fauna The checklist The sequence and nomenclature of the recording form follow the checklist by Merrett amp Murphy 2000 A revised check list of British spiders Bull Br arachnol Soc 11 9 345 358 This is also available on the internet at the British Arachnological Society website at http www britishspiders org uk html info html If any recorders need some guidance with the new checklist the National Organiser will be happy to help and can post a copy of the checklist to anyone who does not have access to the original British Arachnological Society Bulletin or the internet GPS Grid references Quite a few arachnologists have now started using hand held GPS Global Positioning System satellite technology to determine their location The best you can do when using a 1 50 000 or 1 25 000 map is to read off a 6 figure grid reference e g TL201799 which refers to a 100 x 100 m square of the National Grid In contrast GPS units give 10 figure grid references referring to a 1 x 1 m square However under normal use their accuracy is only to about plus or minus 10 m the last digit of the
51. void the use of glycerine which can stick trichobothria to the surface of the legs making them very difficult to Spider Recording Scheme Phase 2 notes for recorders 7 locate If iso propy alcohol is used rather than Industrial Methylated Spirits then 50 60 dilution is recommended to avoid the specimens becoming brittle iv The tube containing the specimen should be protected by using a hollowed out block of polystyrene a tin lined with cotton wool or paper padding or plenty of bubble wrap inside a box or padded envelope v Remember that a covering letter written in ink or ball point may be rendered illegible if the tube leaks during transit vi If specimens are to be returned then stamps to the appropriate value should be enclosed d Spiders are collected into and then stored in 70 alcohol Industrial Methylated Spirits in which they do not decompose They are examined using the microscope whilst immersed in alcohol They are then static for the close inspection that is needed and the identification can be checked at a later date if necessary Very few species can be identified with confidence by simply observing them in the field or from photographs The value of building and maintaining a personal reference collection of correctly identified species cannot be overemphasized With such a reference collection direct comparisons can be made especially important for critical and difficult species e Membership of the Sp
52. y be asked to supply named specimens in support of their records of some of the common and frequent species until such time as their competence has been established by the Area Organiser Rare species or species outside their known range should in any case be checked by another competent arachnologist If it is necessary to send a specimen to an Area Organiser for checking please remember that damage can be caused if it is incorrectly packaged for posting The following guidelines should be adhered to i Place the specimen in a small tube with a well fitting plastic stopper or screw top Either fill the tube completely with liquid to prevent mechanical damage by air bubbles during transit or restrain movement of the specimen using a small piece of tissue such as part of a paper hankerchief or kitchen paper Cotton wool should not be used for this purpose as the cotton strands become entangled with the spider ii wm Write clearly in pencil or alcohol proof and waterproof ink e g Rotring or Pilot water resistant drawing pen on a label that is placed inside the tube with the specimen Do not label the outside of the tube If the tube leaks such labels are often rendered illegible or if the label is lost the material becomes worthless All tubes should contain a label containing the minimum information of location grid reference date collector iii Indicate if the liquid in the tube is other than 70 alcohol A
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