Entomology Review - Spring 2008

I think we have the smallest of the Société's Sections studying the largest number, certainly within natural history, of objects. We are, therefore, very pleased to welcome to the Section two new active workers whose presence nearly doubles our membership! Although, like me, they are specialising in Lepidoptera, rather than one of the other orders of insects, such as beetles, dragonflies, grasshoppers etc., there will be plenty of work for them, and for any other new recruits, and discoveries still to be made. Although last season's (2007) discouraging weather noticeably reduced our catches and the variety of species, we still added remarkably to our knowledge of Jersey's moths and their distributions.

We look forward in keen anticipation to what this summer has in store for us, and what further manifestation of the effects of our changing climate will appear. These are almost certain to be different, and sure to be interesting, but we hope that the weather will be a little more like that of the previous two years rather than last year's.

A great number of people, non-members as well as members, report their observations to us – about almost anything that moves or grows, it seems – which often make considerable contributions to this and other natural history Sections; and that characterises a lot of our work. We may have regular meetings at the Société but they deal mainly with record keeping and reporting and other chores; practically all our Sections' real work is done out in the field, the countryside and cliffs, using our eyes and our notebooks. So, counting all our 'outside correspondents', perhaps we have rather more 'contributing members' than I thought.

If you see anything which you don't recognise or think might be of interest please remember that we might also be pleased to see it. If you can make a note of it and, perhaps, take a picture, a call to us on 862473 or to the Société's office (758314) is all that is required.

Roger and Margaret Long