PTES - incidental Coleoptera records from the 2006-2007 National Stag Beetle Survey

Quality Control

This data was collected during the Great Stag Hunt 3, the 2006-2007 National Stag Beetle survey. The majority of records were submitted by members of the public. The majority of the records in this dataset were validated from photographs, the validation process for the records was sufficient so that we have a very high level of confidence in the dataset.

Method steps

1. This dataset contains the records for non-target species (i.e. non-Stag Beetle records) collected during the PTES 2006-2007 National Stag Beetle survey. Each record provides the locality and date of observation. There are a total of 103 records in the dataset. The data comes from records submitted by members of the public taking part in the PTES 2006-2007 National Stag Beetle survey. The collation of records was undertaken by the scheme organisers. Most records were supplied with the postcode of the property where the record originated. Postcodes were converted to grid references by reference to on-line mapping sources such as Streetmap.co.uk. Records for the Stag Beetle survey were validated by the scheme organisers based on information submitted as part of the records including description, size, colour and behaviour. Some records were submitted with either photographs or dead specimens as additional evidence.
   In some instances, recorders submitted details of other species of beetles to the survey. Some of these were deliberate, PTES received a number of records giving details of sightings of the Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus. In other instances, records were submitted as those of the Stag Beetle, but photographs accompanying the records allowed the organisers to identify the beetle as something other than Lucanus cervus.

The majority of the records in this dataset are collated with 100m grid references derived as described above. While the geographical coverage of the survey was aimed at the whole of the UK, most recorders tended only to submit positive records.