Those contributing photographs to this website include (in alphabetical order):- Helen Bantock, Paul Bergdahl, Mark Boddington, Jane Bowman, Jon Clifton, Steve Covey, Don Down, Stuart Dunlop, Rob Edmunds, Glynne Evans, Peter Eeles, Shane Farrell, Paul Fontaine, Reg Fry, Nick Greatorex-Davies, John Gregory, Steve Hatch, Les Hill, David Howdon, Roy Leverton, Roy McCormick, Tony Moore, Mark Parsons, Anand Prasad, Ian Rose, Ben Smart, Ian Smith, Brian Stone, Malcolm Storey, Keith Tailby, Paul Talbot, Jeroen Voogd and Wendy Wilson (if I have missed anyone off please let me know!).To the best of the knowledge of the contributors all the images have been identified correctly. However with such a wide variety of shapes and forms there is always scope for error - so accuracy cannot be guaranteed!
The sizes quoted for larvae are approximate because they are so difficult to measure and their length varies with the way they are resting. These measurements have been included, where available, so that the appearence of larvae found in the field can be compared with those of about the same size. Technical terms have been avoided as far as possible to make the site easy to read for all ages and experiences and larva has been used in preference to caterpillar to save space! The timescales quoted for larval stages are approximately the time between the first young caterpillars appearing from the earliest eggs laid to the fully grown caterpillars from the last eggs to be laid. The time periods and appearance of all these activities are obviously quite variable depending on weather conditions throughout the year.
Thousands of photographs are needed for this ambitious project, the aim being to illustrate each species with images of (A) The egg, (B) Young and final instar larvae - with pictures of intermediate stages where there are significant changes in the appearance, shape or markings of the larvae - also different colour forms, (C) The cocoon (if one is 'spun' above ground), (D) Examples of male and female pupae and (E) Examples of the adults. A separate section of the website contains close up photographs of various parts of a selection of pupae to aid species identification.
If you can help by providing photographs to fill in the gaps in stages or colour forms of those species already illustrated or any early stage of those species not listed so far, please contact Reg Fry by clicking on this e-mail address. The only limitation I have made for adding new species to the website is that pictures of adults will not be included until I have at least one example of a larva, larval case or mine of that species.
What is the best way to help? I am able to scan in positive or negative film or prints so the loan of these would be very useful. Digital files are obviously the easiest way of sending photographs as e-mail attachments. If you have broadband I would prefer to receive jpeg files of the original photographs of any size up to say 3MB. This allows me the best scope to adapt the image to fit the website and show the insect off to the best advantage with others of the same species - if you want to work on the image yourself the frame size on the website is 740 pixels wide. Don't worry if parts of a photograph are a bit out of focus or need other improvements - very few (if any) photographs of insects are perfect - I have had to improve every one of my own in one way or another!
Finally, if you have surplus livestock of any species that I could rear and photograph for the website, that would also be much appreciated.