Contribute your records

Although the SNS has a large group of dedicated recorders who specialise in particular wildlife and plant groups, Suffolk is a large county, and covering it all by themselves is not easy. So we are very keen to receive records from enthusiastic amateurs, whether they are members of the society or not. Our recorders are listed on a separate page (click here to see their contact details), and they will be happy to receive your records or offer identification advice.

We particularly welcome mammal records, which have been less frequent since the publication of The Mammals of Suffolk. Stag Beetle records are also still needed.

Click here to visit the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS) guide to sending in records.

Mammals

Since the publication of The Mammals of Suffolk by Dr Simone Bullion, fewer records have been sent in. However, recording doesn’t end with one publication, and we need your sightings to find out what is happening right now in the Suffolk countryside.

Very few Hedgehog sightings have been sent in. Are they in as much trouble as people think? Have you had any hedgehogs in the garden this year? Let us know!

Unfortunately, drivers will see road casualties, so why not keep a pad and pencil in your car? Jot down what you see and send these in as well; after all, the number of road casualties of a species indicates the relative size of the population in the wild.

Send your records to Alison Looser (mammal@sns.org.uk), or click here to visit the SBIS guide to sending in records.

Stag Beetles

Colin Hawes, the lead partner for stag beetle conservation in Suffolk, asks everyone to report stag beetle sightings to him or the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS). Data collected will be used to produce an up-to-date map of stag beetle distribution in the county.

Stag beetles emerge in warm weather from mid-May onwards, with males first and females about a week later. Both sexes are crepuscular (active at dusk) and can be seen on warm evenings, when males fly in search of females. Females usually remain on the ground and release sex pheromones to attract the males. An individual beetle lives only about four weeks, and by August almost all stag beetles will be dead. Eggs laid underground hatch into larvae, which continue the life cycle.

General Records

The County Recorder System
If you have records of wildlife in Suffolk that you would like to contribute to the database of the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service, there are a number of County Recorders which handle specific groups of wildlife. To find out which recorder would like your records, please visit our County Recorders page, which will give you the address to send your data to.

• The Basic Data Requirements
  There well may be much more information you will record in addition to the data listed below but for meaningful recording a minimum of the following is required for every record.
• Species Name
  Latin is preferred for the name of the species you are recording, but English is quite acceptable, particularly for birds and mammals.
• Location
  The name of the place where the record was made or a sketch map of the site.
• Grid Reference
  A Grid Reference of at least 4 figures (e.g. TM1445) is an absolute must, though 6 figure references are preferred (e.g. TM143452). All Ordnance Survey maps have instructions on how to read a Grid Reference. Postcodes are not accurate enough on their own, especially in rural areas. For an easy way to find a Grid Reference, try the UK Grid Reference Finder website at: gridreferencefinder.com
• Date
  The day, month and year of the record
• Name
  Your Name (and address if a new contributor) of the person who made the record and the name of any other person who confirmed your identification.