Biological Recording | Sorby Natural History Society, Sheffield

Updated list of Recorders and Recording Schemes

Roger Butterfield — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 18:23:44 +0000

We have recently updated our list of Recorders and Recording Schemes, which can be found here: www.sorby.org.uk/about-us/recorders.

Please support our recorders by sending in your sightings of flora, fauna and fungi from the Sorby Study and Recording Area.

Our new Butterfly Recorder

Roger Butterfield — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 09:46:48 +0000

Ashley Watson has recently taken over from Mike Archer as Butterfly Recorder for the Sorby Natural History Society.

Please send all your butterfly sightings to Ashley via

Many thanks to Mike Archer for all his hard work over the past few years.

Contact details for all of our honorary recorders can be found here: www.sorby.org.uk/about-us/recorders

Clathrus archeri – in colour!

Roger Butterfield — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 14:58:14 +0000

The fungus Clathrus archeri is an Antipodean species that was first recorded in the UK about 100 years ago. It is most often seen in the south of England, but appears to be spreading north. In 2017 it was recorded in the Sheffield area for the first time. A total of ten fruiting bodies have been reported so far; five were found by Dave Jefferies and five were found by Roger Butterfield.

The fruiting bodies of Clathrus archeri look (and smell) rather gruesome – like decaying flesh! This attracts masses of flies, which then unwittingly help to distribute the spores.

The fungus has quite a long fruiting season; the first fruiting body was found on 6th August and the last on 12th November. However, each individual fruiting body is very short-lived.

A fruiting body of the fungus Clathrus archeri, otherwise known as “Devil’s Fingers” or “Octopus Stinkhorn”.
Photographed near High Bradfield by Sorby member Roger Butterfield in August 2017.

Submitting your fungi records

Roger Butterfield — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 11:01:35 +0000

Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes), also known as ‘Winter Fungus’.

Please send all your fungi records from “Sorbyshire” to our Fungi Recorder, Michael Senkans – email .

For more information, please see the web page for the Sorby Fungus Group.

New Guidance on Bird Recording

Roger Butterfield — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 14:09:14 +0000

Harold Smith has re-written the guidance notes for people who want to submit their bird records to the Sorby Ornithological Group. The revised notes can be found here:

www.sorby.org.uk/groups/sorby-ornithological-group/recording-birds