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Key facts
| Type | Day and Weekend |
|---|---|
| Location | Oxford |
| Address | Rewley House 1 Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JA |
| Dates | Sat 22 Jun 2013 |
| Subject area(s) | Biological Sciences |
| Fees | From £60.00 |
| Application status | Applications being accepted |
| Course code | O12P134BIJ |
| Course contact | If you have any questions about this course, please email ppdayweek@conted.ox.ac.uk. |
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Overview
Invertebrates or bugs (i.e. animals without a backbone) comprises insects, arachnids, crustaceans, myriapods, molluscs, worms and a number of smaller groups, which together accounts for more than 95% of all animal species. Although the majority are found in the tropics and in oceans, members of these hugely successful groups can be found in all habitats ranging from Antarctica to the Sahara desert. Even our houses and gardens are home to an impressive range and diversity of invertebrates. During this day school we will uncover some of their many secrets.In the morning you will learn about the natural history of each of the major groups of invertebrates you can encounter inside in your house and outside in your garden and local park. In addition to giving an overview of the characteristics of each group you will also learn more about the biology of particular interesting species including nuptial gifts in flies, web-building behaviour in spiders, the sex life of snails and the regenerative abilities of flatworms.
The afternoon is dedicated to practical sessions. In the first half we will head to the nearby university parks, where you will learn how to locate, observe and collect invertebrates using a variety of techniques such as sweeping with nets and beating bushes to dislocate resident invertebrates onto beating trays. We will then take the collected animals back to Rewley House where you will get a chance to look at them under the light microscope and learn how to identify them to taxonomic groups such as insect orders and spider families.
Throughout the day there will be plenty of opportunities for questions and identification queries of invertebrates encountered by the participants.
Programme details
Saturday 22 June 20139:00am Registration
9:15am Welcome and introduction (Thomas Hesselberg, Oxford University Department for Continuing Education)
9:30am Miscellaneous taxa: snails, woodlice, millipedes, centipedes and worms (Steve Gregory, British Myriapod and Isopod Group)
10:20am Spiders and other arachnids (Lawrence Bee, British Arachnological Society)
11:10am Coffee break
11:25am The insects (Darren J. Mann, Oxford University Museum of Natural History)
12:15am Lunch
1:00pm Excursion to university park (all speakers)
3:00pm Coffee break
3:15pm Practical identification session (all speakers)
5:00pm Course disperses
Staff
Mr Lawrence Bee
Role: Speaker
Education and Publicity Officer – British Arachnological Society
Mr Steve Gregory
Role: Speaker
Organiser Woodlice Recording Scheme for Britain & Ireland, British Myriapod and Isopod Group
Dr Thomas Hesselberg
Role: Speaker
I am a research associate at the Oxford Silk Group at the Department of Zoology at Oxford University where my current research focuses on...more
Mr Darren Mann
Role: Speaker
Recommended reading
Bee E.L. & Lewington R. A guide to House and Garden Spiders (Field Studies Counci,l 2002)Chinery, M, Domino Field Guides – Insects of Britain and Western Europe (A & C Black Publishers, 2007)
Foelix, R, The Biology of Spiders. 3rd Edition (Oxford University Press, 2011)
Lewington, R. Guide to garden wildlife (British Wildlife Publishing, 2008)
McGavin, G, Essential Entomology (Oxford University Press, 2001)
Accommodation
Accommodation is often available in Rewley House for those who wish to stay on the night before a course. Please contact our Residential Centre on 01865 270362 for details of availability and prices.Fee options
- Programme Fee
- Tuition fee: £60.00
- Catering
- Full lunch: £11.00
- Baguette lunch: £3.50
Apply for this course
You can apply for this course in the following ways:
- Apply online
to secure your place on this course now- Apply by post, email or fax
- Download a PDF application form
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