The Field Studies Council is running a project called BioLinks, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to deliver training in invertebrate identification and recording across London, focussing on under-recorded and difficult groups.
The project is running several courses at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. These include introductory courses on ants and earthworms in March and bees in May, and a Field Recorder Day on in August.
Learn To Love Ants
This course on 2 March 2022 is an introduction to one of our planet’s most numerous insect groups, introducing aspects of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Important ecosystem engineers and highly successful social insects, ants can be found almost anywhere and they display a host of different behaviours depending on species, habitat, or caste (whether they’re queens, workers or soldiers). On this course, you will learn all about their hidden empires and their fascinating secret lives. The course is aimed at adults and participants must be over 18. It costs £10 and booking is essential. For more details and to book a place see the Field Studies Council website.
Learn To Love Earthworms
This course on 30 March 2022 is a very gentle introduction to one of our planet’s most important animals, introducing aspects of their biology, ecology and behaviour. Known as the gardener’s best friend, it is widely recognised that earthworms are important creatures. Earthworms are involved in the breakdown of waste animal and plant material and help keep soils fertile and rich. This course combines the use of classroom-led learning and outside learning to give individuals the skills and confidence to learn more about the lives and ecological roles of earthworms. The course is aimed at adults and participants must be over 18. It costs £10 and booking is essential. For more details and to book a place see the Field Studies Council website.
Learn to Love Bees
This course on 21 May 2022 is a very gentle introduction to our planet’s most important pollinators, introducing aspects of their biology and ecology. There are around 270 species of bee in Britain, although many are under-recorded, under-appreciated and under-loved! Found in a range of habitats, bees have fascinating life histories and ecosystem roles. The course is aimed at adults and participants must be over 18. It costs £10 and booking is essential. For more details and to book a place see the Field Studies Council website.
Field Recorder Day
The Field Recorder Day on 26 August gives people interested in different invertebrate taxa an opportunity to visit Cemetery Park to survey the invertebrate fauna for one day. The make-up of the group is usually a combination of BioLinks volunteers, interested amateurs, locals, and some active recorders. The aims of these days are:
- Engaging a variety of people with invertebrate surveying, ID, and recording;
- Demonstrating survey and collecting techniques;
- Collecting invertebrate specimens for our teaching collection;
- Creating a species-list for the site to be uploaded onto iRecord, shared with recording societies and the site managers;
- Providing a space for like-minded people to socialise, network, and knowledge-share.
The event is aimed at adults and participants must be over 18. It is free but places are limited and booking is essential. For more details and to book a place see the Field Studies Council website.
Please email the Biolinks team if you have any questions about these courses.
Header photo: Athomyia collini at Cemetery Park (Gino Brignoli)
