Submit your news items to the Riverfly Partnership via email info@riverflies.org
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Riverfly Conference 2010 YOUR RIVERS - THEIR FUTURE 23 September
The third national conference will take place at The Natural History Museum, London.
See here for further information, draft programme and to book your place.
Booking now open. £35 delegate fee.
Now OPEN: Competition for the best riverfly photograph - closing date 31 October 2010
Capture your riverflies on camera. The competition, run by The Riverfly Partnership and the Royal Entomological Society is a National Insect Week 2010 initiative - see flyer below. Entry labels. See here for competition guidelines. Closing date 31 October 2010.
First prize £500, second prize £250, plus commended images. Winning images to be published in Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Magazine and The Royal Entomological Society Antenna. Judging by Peter Lapsley, Dr Cyril Bennett and Prof Chris Haines.
» Riverfly Photography Competition 2010 – PDF-File, 110.9 KB
Notification: Riverfly Partnership AGM 22 September 2010
The Riverfly Partnership AGM will be held on the afternoon of 22 September at The Natural History Museum, London. Further information will be posted here.
AMI Coordinators Meeting – 22 September 2010
A forum for AMI Coordinators will be held at The Natural History Museum on the afternoon Wednesday 22 September. All Coordinators are welcome and expenses will be covered. Further details will be circulated.
Yellow May Dun Survey - Your records needed
The adults of this beautiful bright yellow mayfly are easy to identify with their distinctive colour and two long tails. The behavior of the species is thought to be changing with fewer adults emerging early in the summer and more hatching throughout the year. The Ephemeroptera Recording Scheme needs your records to help investigate these patterns – see here for further information.
Mayfly Life Cycle poster
Free, high resolution A3 available for download, developed in association with The Wild Trout Trust with images by Cyril Bennett. See here.
New RP post in Wales - May 2010
The Riverfly Partnership are delighted to welcome Dai Roberts as Anglers Monitoring Initiative (AMI) Coordinator Wales, a new part time post funded by Environment Wales. Dai has played an instrumental role in protecting the rivers of SE Wales including collaborations that led to three successful EA court prosecutions of companies responsible for falls in river water quality. Work has commenced apace with new AMI groups on the River Ogmore and workshops planned on River Ebbw coordinated by Blaenau-Gwent council and in collaboration with Keep Wales Tidy (where work dovetails with a wildlife corridor initiative working on invasive species) and the River Taff. AMI Support Days are available, at no charge, for AMI Groups across Wales. For further information and to book a day contact Dai by email dai.theduff@btinternet.com or telephone: 07890 188835.
Stuart Crofts - AMI tutor Northern England
International fly fisherman and caddis specialist Stuart Crofts joins The Riverfly Partnership team as a workshop tutor in Northern England. Stuart played an instrumental role in the recovery of the River Don and highlighted the role that non specialists could play in monitoring their river in the Journal of the Grayling Society in the 1990’s. But he is perhaps better known for his fishing, guiding, Entomology for Anglers Courses, photography, bug stands with the Wild Trout Trust and running the Adult Caddis Occurrence Scheme. Stuart has already run a workshop with the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust and following a trip to Lapland will be setting up new AMI Groups on the River Don with SPRITE and in Derbyshire. To book a workshop in Northen England contact info@riverflies.org,
Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) 2010
BAP status means that there is a government responsibility to protect the species - there are eight riverflies designated as BAP species in the UK. The Riverfly Partnership Species and Habitat Group, with support from Natural England Countdown 2010, is carrying out surveys, developing information resources and identifying the conservation work required for these species. This year has seen new records recorded on the River Wye for the Yellow Mayfly Potamanthus luteus, specimens of the stonefly Northern February Red Brachyptera putata collected in Scotland which will enable research to help clarify its endemic status and the publication of a postcard on the Southern Iron Blue Baetis niger. Contact info@riverflies.org with your contact details for copies of the postcard.
» Southern Iron Blue postcard – PDF-File, 136.5 KB
New guides to riverflies
Mayfly Larvae (Ephemeroptera) of Britain and Ireland: Keys and a review of their Ecology by JM Elliot and UH Humpesch. Freshwater Biological Association No 66. 2010 Price £27
Matching the Hatch Pocket Guide by Peter Lapsley and Cyril Bennett Merlin Unwin Books. Widely available: £7.99
Pictorial guide to Ephemeroptera by Craig Macadam and Cyril Bennett to be published by The Field Studies Council later this year, following the collection of additional images.
Anglers Monitoring Initiative expands to Northern Ireland
The Riverfly Partnership is delighted to note that plans are underway to establish the Anglers Monitoring Initiative in Northern Ireland 2010. This will be a partnership initiative with Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Ballinderry River Enhancement Association on the Ballinderry catchment.
Out and about Summer 2010
BBC2 series on the Natural History Museum The Museum of Life highlighted AMI; BB1 The One Show featured riverflies with RP partner The National Gamekeepers Organisation; Country Life - article written by David Profumo who joined AMI workshop run by The John Spedan Lewis Trust in Hampshire; S&TA Gamefisher magazine; Wild Trout Trust magazine Salmo Trutta; AMI workshops across England and Wales, RP at the Herefordshire Game Fair.
15 April 8pm - BBC2 series Museum of Life feature the Riverfly Partnership Anglers Monitoring Initiative
BBC film crew join the RP AMI workshop on the River Monnow in their series on The Natural History Museum London Museum of Life presented by Mark Carwardine. The Natural History Museum is a founding partner of The Riverfly Partnership and Research Entomologist Steve Brooks chairs the AMI Group.
The River Monnow AMI workshop was funded by Sustainable Fisheries Environment Agency (EA) Wales and was delivered by RP tutors Dai Roberts and Steve Brooks in partnership wtih South East Wales EA.
Rivers on the edge WWF - UK
The Riverfly Partnership welcomes WWF-UK to the Riverfly Partnership. The new WWF-UK film Rivers on the Edge, produced with fisherman and TV presenter Charles Rangely-Wilson, highlights the link between the water we use in our homes and the natural world, what's special about chalk streams and how water efficiency can play a big part in helping to conserve them. The film, also on YouTube, is 6 minutes long.
Anglers Monitoring Initiative representative nominated for Welsh Green List. October 2009
Dai Roberts, volunteer coordinator of the south east Wales AMI Group was shortlisted for the Wales Green List, compiled by Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales, for his outstanding work on Welsh rivers. The Wales Green List announced by Jane Davidson, A.M. Minister for Environment Sustainability and Housing regonised Welsh green heroies/heroines for their contribution to tackling sustainability.
Fly tipping that could save our rivers from the dangers of pollution. Brian Clarke, The Times 5 October 2009
Fishing Correspondant for The Times, Brian Clarke endorses the Riverfly Partnership Anglers Monitoring Intiative. See here for full article. Brian attended the AMI workshop held on 6 September delivered by Cyril Bennett, funded by Thames Water and hosted by Godalming Angling Society.
William Tall, coordinator of the Wandle Piscators Anglers Monitoring Group, wins John Hills Award. September 2009
William Tall the volunteer coordinator of the Wandle Piscators Anglers Monitoring Group wins the Thames River Restoration Trust John Hills Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the restoration of the River Wandle in the Thames river basin. For further information click here.
River Art Competition at the CLA Game Fair
Riverfly Partnership & Salmon and Trout Association July 2009
The River Art Competition at the 2009 CLA Game Fair led 100 children to create a vibrant river scene full of bugs (caddisflies, mayflies and snails), salmon and trout, dragonflies and kingfishers. A river good for bugs is good for fish, dragonflies and birds. Bugs are the canaries of our river systems and can be used to monitor the quality of our rivers.
Each participant received a magnifier to facilitate their future bug hunts, many moving straight onto look close up at the wonderful creatures at the bug hunting table on the stand.
Congratulations to the 2009 prize winners:
Bug Hunting Explorer Kit by Nick Baker: Kingfisher by Katie, age 5,from Great Broughton, North Yorkshire; Fish by James, age 6, from Keelby, Lincolnshire; Fish by Eloise
Reeves Art Box Set: Fish by Lucy, age 13, from Goldsborough, North Yorkshire; Snail by Isobel, age 9, from Manchester ; Fish by Mia, age 7, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Acknowledgement to Sally Pizii who led the childrens area of the stand and acknowledgment to the Wild Trout Trust for their innovative activities that inspired the competition.
Riverfly Photography Competition winners
Winning entries to The Riverfly Partnership / Royal Entomological Society National Insect Week photography competition were announced December 2008 and are listed below. See here for all winning and commended images across National Insect Week.
Congratulations to all. Acknowledgement to judges Professor Chris Haines, Peter Lapsley and Bridget Peacock, sponsors The Riverfly Partnership and the Environment Agency, organisers The Royal Entomological Society and media partner BBC Wildlife magazine.
Images from left: Mayfly on iris © Colin Ebdon; Translucent in the sunshine © Jean Paterson; Mayfly © Kenny Crooks; Odontocerum albicorne © Stuart Crofts
1st Prize £500
Colin Ebdon, Essex Mayfly on iris bud
2nd Prize £250
Jean Paterson, Edinburgh Translucent in the sunshine, mayfly rests on a fence post
3rd Prizes Life in the Undergrowth by David Attenborough. Signed by the author
Stuart Crofts, South Yorkshire Odontocerum albicorne adult caddisfly
Jean Paterson, Edinburgh A glimpse of the soft body of a caddis fly larva
Runners-up Prizes Life in the Undergrowth by David Attenborough
Peter Hayes, Wiltshire Rainy May
Mark Pike, Dorset Mayfly
Stuart Crofts, South Yorkshire Philopotamus montanus adult caddisfly
Specially commended
Kenny Crooks, North Yorkshire Mayfly
Stan Maddams, Dorset Common mayfly by River Stour
Mark Avery, Anglia region In flight
Commended
Peter Hayes, Wiltshire Meniscus queen
BBC4 Riverflies on Born to be Wild 10 July 2008
The Born to be Wild series highlighted The Riverfly Partership monitoring work being carried out by Dai Roberts, Rob Williams, Alan Howles and team of the Rhymney & Sirhowy Monitoring Group in their Bug programme.
People become enthusiastic about the strangest things. Take bugs.... This series charts the work of amateur naturalists. Dai Roberts regularly counts the bugs in the River Rhymney in South Wales to monitor the environment.
Conservation status for British riverflies Oct 07
The Riverfly Recording Scheme Coordinators, Craig Macadam , David Pryce and Ian Wallace have worked with Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust to ensure that eight species of riverfy qualify for conservation status on the new Biodiversity Action Plan Species list. Inclusion on the list means that there is government commitment to support conservation measures for these species. The riverfly species included are:
Ephemeroptera Nigrobaetis niger Southern Iron Blue, Potamanthus luteus Yellow MayflyPlecoptera Brachyptera putata Northern February Red, Isogenus nubecula Rare medium stonefly
Trichoptera Glossosoma intermedium Small Grey Sedge, Hagenella clathrata Window Winged Sedge, Hydropsyche bulgaromanorum Grey Flag, Ironoquia dubia Scarce Brown Sedge
BBC 1 Nature of Britain Series - BBC Wales 31 Oct 2007
Highlighting the monitoring work being carried out by the Rhymney & Sirhowy Monitoring Group - part of the Riverfly Partnership Anglers Monitoring Initiative.
Ephemera danica - Freshwater Forum Sept 07
‘A seven year study of the life cycle of the mayfly Ephemera danica’ by
Contact Karen Rouen from Freshwater Biological Association by email KRouen@fba.org.uk for further information / copies.
