MKNHS ‘KNOW Y0UR TETRAD …’ PROJECT
This project set out to encourage any member, who was interested in taking part, to adopt a tetrad, usually near their home or favourite stomping ground. A tetrad is a 2km x 2km square as seen on Ordnance Survey maps using the National Grid. Those participating then collect records of all flora and fauna spotted within this area and submit the records annually to the society’s collators of tetrad records. These records are then submitted to the County Environmental Records Office.
In its first year (2010 ), some 30 members participated and produced 4400 records from 1172 species! This project has now been running for several years and is helping to build up a long term record of our local natural history.
It is anticipated that records will continue to come in and any sightings (with known locations and dates of observation) made by members and non-members alike in any tetrad will be welcome and should be passed to either Roy Maycock or Tony Wood. Milton Keynes Borough covers 100 tetrads so there is plenty of scope to find one with no records at all!
The lists themselves are in five groups and so each can be searched/accessed separately. The sequencing varies but, basically, they give the scientific name, the common name and the number of tetrads from which each species has been recorded.
Click on the Word icons below to open to see details of the records in each of the following five groups.
Group 1 – PLANTS
There are separate sections for Mosses and Liverworts; Ferns and Horsetails; Conifers and Flowering Plants. In each case the scientific name given is the most up-to-date known. Where possible only one common name is given but often several are available – or none!
Group 2 – VERTEBRATE ANIMALS
There are separate sections for Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish. The sequence in which birds are listed is different from the other groups, following that normally used by “birders” – i.e. Vouse Order.
Group 3 – MOST INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS
There are separate sections for Earthworms and Leeches; Slugs and Snails; Millipedes, Centipedes and Woodlice; Spiders, Mites and Harvestmen – and all insects except Butterflies and Moths.
Group 4 – BUTTERFLIES AND MICRO-MOTHS
The species are listed in numerical order according to the Bradley Checklist of Lepidoptera.
Group 5 – MACRO- MOTHS
This section is dedicated to the memory of George Higgs, a long-time member of the Society, a nationally recognised expert and mentor to many.
As with the Butterflies and Micro-moths the species are listed in numerical order according to the Bradley Checklist of Lepidoptera