The Aquatic Bugs Recording Scheme started in 1983 ( Eversham, 1983) with John Blackburn as the first National Recorder. Aquatic and Terrestrial had separate record cards , RA57 and RA54. There were field trips arranged by the Heteroptera Study Group. (Huxley, 2003)

In 1999 he handed over to Thomas Huxley who used a small group of dedicated people to produce the comprehensive Provisional atlas of the British aquatic bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) in 2003 and set the standard for future recording.

Sheila Brooke took over in 2002 and through her work with Bernard Nau increased the species in Britain and significantly published the Scheme through Het News and Training workshops across the country. 

Tony Cook took over in 2012 and undertook a species status Review of Hemiptera in Great Britain. The Aquatic and Semi-aquatic Bugs in 2015 and set up this website to support recording.

I (Kev Rowley) have taken over in 2024 and the current aims are:

• Pull together as many data sources into a single data model
• Grow more recorders and County Recorders
• Look to de-mistify the identification
• Increase records and recording using photographs
• Increase the National records dataset

If you would like to submit records please use iRecord which helps collate as much data as we can upfront. But still make it straight forward for you. 

From here i will verify the records into the national dataset. I am turning them over every day or so you should have to wait long for a response. Any queries please contact me on kevrowley@live.co.uk