Activities and Opportunities

Invertebrates
(other than butterflies and moths)

Shotover Wildlife's invertebrate work focuses on the identification, surveying and study of ants, bees, beetles, molluscs, sawflies, spiders, wasps and some groups of flies.

Opportunity

Much species identification is based on microscope work, and Shotover Wildlife has microscopes for loan to members for this purpose. Other elements of the initiative involve fieldwork: survey transects, pan and pitfall trapping, Malaise trapping, Winkler extraction, and hand netting techniques.

Insect Sampling
This rewarding activity does not necessarily need special skills, just a commitment to visit and service insect traps. This could be easily accomplished by an enthusiastic beginner yet yield some very important results. It is also well suited to project work for schools or the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The work can be extended to the sorting of a catch into basic insect groups, and is particularly helpful and instructive to anyone who would like to become familiar with the diversity of insects.

We have links with various entomological organisations (Oxford University, British Entomological and Natural History Society, The Northmoor Trust etc.) and this framework provides the opportunity for anyone to pursue an interest of their own, under some of the best advice possible.

Contact us if you would like to contribute to Shotover Wildlife’s invertebrate work.

Back to Activities and Oportunities

Home