Three prime localities in Lewisham are set to host the first workshops
August 10, 2016 13:53
Three prime localities in Lewisham are set to host the first workshops
How to be a curious entomologist
Insects are everywhere. They are so many, and so varied — fascinating, beautiful, mysterious, bizarre. Through their mind-boggling biodiversity they offer us a window into the ecological complexity of life on Earth, and give us a powerful insight of the workings of the natural world. But their small size means they can easily be overlooked or ignored. However it doesn’t take much specialist equipment to have a closer look. Using simple methods and materials provided, this 1-day workshop will look at techniques to find and observe a wide variety of different insects, then how to preserve sample specimens for examination under the microscope.
In the morning, we’ll tour the reserve, finding and discussing the many different insect groups — looking at their structure, behaviour, life histories, and some easy identification pointers. In the afternoon, during the laboratory session, there will be the opportunity to look at some in more detail, and consider how studying insects can contribute to our understanding of nature, and the contribution it can make through citizen science.
Curious? Why curious? Entomologists might, at first, seem a bit eccentric, but they pursue their study of the natural world with a passion fuelled by curiosity.
Richard Jones is an acclaimed expert entomologist, a fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and a former President of the British Entomological and Natural History Society. He writes regularly for BBC Wildlife, Countryfile, Gardeners’ World and Sunday Times. He has written several books on insects, including Extreme Insects, The Little Book of Nits, House Guests — House Pests, and Call of Nature — The Secret Life of Dung.
Posted by Richard Jones
Categories: General Stuff, Surveys
Tags: Beckenham Place Park, citizen science, Dacres Wood, Devonshire Road, entomological techniques, entomology workshops
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If you / they ever migrate northwards we’d even consider offer to host at a local venue for you.
http://thmcf.org/
https://thmcf.wordpress.com/
By thmcfexec on August 10, 2016 at 18:50
Thanks for the offer. I’ve made a note of that.
By Richard Jones on August 11, 2016 at 19:02