Discovering wildlife

Monday 5th June 2017

Discovering wildlife (c) Wendy CarterDiscovering wildlife (c) Wendy Carter

Dingy skippers, marmalade hoverflies, patchwork bees – just some of the intriguing species of wildlife to be discovered on a series of sessions run by a local conservation charity.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust organises a number of wildlife discovery courses each year to help nature-lovers find out more about our county’s fascinating world of wildlife. Each course is led by local experts who guide participants through an indoor session before heading out into a beautiful location to put their new-found knowledge into practice.

Hannah Thomas, who organises the courses for the Trust, explained “We’re halfway through our courses programme already this year and have been having some fantastic feedback.

“The three or five hour sessions are perfect opportunities for people to find out more about Worcestershire’s amazing variety of wildlife in a fun and informal atmosphere.

“From hoverflies and bees to how a soil’s health can affect how our garden flowers grow, we think there’s something for everyone.

“Places on our courses are limited to ensure that participants have a really good experience with plenty of opportunities to ask questions in a friendly environment.”

Butterflies to bees

There are still a few places left on each of this summer’s courses.

On Saturday 17th June, people will get the chance to discover more about the beautiful world of Wyre Forest’s butterflies with Butterfly Conservation’s Mike Williams.

The five hour course will help participants to learn about the lifecycles of butterflies as well as have a walk in the forest to see what they can find and understand how to identify different species.

Discovering bees (c) Wendy CarterAnyone booking onto the Hoverflies course on Saturday 24th June will uncover the secret world of hoverflies and how to identify the most common ones that are likely to be found in gardens and woodlands. The outdoor session will take place in Monkwood nature reserve, a few miles north of Worcester.

The county bee recorder will be leading the Bees at Lower Smite Farm session on Saturday 8th July. Bees are one of our most loved insects and the course will help people to learn how to identify the most common species of solitary bees and bumblebees.

Gardens are under the spotlight with the Soil Health course on Saturday 15th July. The Trust’s Grasslands and Agriculture Officer will help participants to understand what soil wildlife is and how it helps to keep our gardens healthy. With hints on how to assess your garden’s soil health, this is a perfect session for gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

Finally, on Tuesday 12th September, lifelong naturalists Harry Green and Martin Skirrow will be repeating their successful Discovering Microscopes course. This evening session, based entirely indoors, will help people get to grips with using microscopes to open up a miniature universe of wildlife.

Discovering microscopes (c) Wendy CarterThe evening will look at the importance of lighting and the suitability of different microscopes for different needs. Participants will get the chance to explore how to identify different species under the microscope.

Hannah continued ““No prior experience is necessary for any of our courses; it’s really a chance to tap into the vast knowledge of our experts in order to develop your own personal knowledge, skills and interests.”

Each wildlife discovery course lasts for three or five hours and costs £15 or £20. Booking is essential and can be made by calling 01905 754919 or emailing hannah@worcestershirewildlifetrust.org. 

Tagged with: Events & Shows, Outdoor learning, Species, Wildlife discovery courses