Getting up close with wildlife
Friday 15th July 2016
Common lizard (c) Amy Lewis
Moths, millipedes and heathland are all under the spotlight in a series of wildlife discovery courses being run by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
The conservation charity organises a series of sessions each year to help people get the most out of our county’s wonderful wildlife. Each course is led by an expert and features both an indoor and outdoor session.
Hannah Thomas, organiser of the wildlife discovery courses, explained “Our courses offer people the chance to look at wildlife in a different way than they may previously have done so.
“We’ve already delved into the world of birds, bees and water voles this year. Places on our courses are limited to ensure participants have a really good experience with plenty of chances to ask questions and discover the natural world in an informal and friendly environment.
“Our courses are really popular and there are just a few places left on the remaining courses this year.”
Nose-to-nose with wildlife
An Introduction to Moths will be taking place on Friday 5th August from 7.30pm in the Alfrick area. The evening will start with an indoor introductory session looking at different moth families and how to identify these beautiful insects.
Participants will then head to the Trust’s newest nature reserve, nearby Blackhouse Wood, where they’ll put their new knowledge to the test by trying to identify moths attracted to traps set up in the woodland.
On Saturday 13th August, Reserves Officer Andy Harris will be leading a day exploring the special wildlife found on heathlands. The course will take place at The Devil’s Spittleful nature reserve near Bewdley, part of a rare heathland complex in the north of the county.
We’ve lost 98% of our heathland in the last 200 years so this is a great opportunity to discover how the Trust manages this threatened habitat and what wildlife calls it home.
Do centipedes really have 100 legs? This and many more questions will be answered during the Centipedes and Millipedes discovery course on Saturday 17th September.
There is more to these many-legged creatures than meets the eye so, following an indoor session, participants will search deadwood in Piper’s Hill and Dodderhill Common nature reserve near Hanbury to find them at home.
Hannah continued “We don’t expect anyone to have prior experience before coming on these courses - this is a chance to use your enthusiasm and tap into expert knowledge.”
Places cost £15 for Introduction to Moths and Centipedes and Millipedes and £20 for Heathland Wildlife. Booking is essential and can be made by calling 01905 754919 or emailing hannah@worcestershirewildlifetrust.org.
Tagged with: Outdoor learning, Wildlife discovery course