BENHS Weekend Training Workshop: An Introduction to Bumblebees

Event description

An introduction to Social and Cuckoo Bumblebees

Workshop Leader(s): Stephen Lings (St Albans).

This workshop takes a look into the life and identification of these much loved, but undervalued pollinators. Discover how to identify some of the common bumble species found across the UK. The workshop comprises fieldwork in the morning followed by an indoor workshop in the afternoon. Bumblebees are an essential part of the British spring and summer yet many species are in steep decline. The workshop will conclude with a discussion of why conserving these species is so important and what individuals can do to help ensure their diversity and abundance once again. Please bring hand lens if you have one.

The aim of the BENHS training workshops is to open up the facilities of the collections both at the BENHS Pelham-Clinton Building at Dinton Pastures, Reading and the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity (AMC) at the Natural History Museum, London and are designed to support fellow invertebrate recorders, be they experienced or novices by providing an informal setting for developing your identification and/or recording skills. As the sessions are informal events you are welcome to come for as much or as little time as you wish.

There is no prerequisite for attendees to have attended one of our previous courses and all are free of charge to attend for AES members. Booking your place early is recommended as workshop places are limited to (20 people). All we ask is that people book in advance by emailing me and letting me know that you wish to attend so I can reserve a microscope and bench space for you on the day.