Welcome

This site aims to promote invertebrate recording and conservation in Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

*2021 Webinars Open for Booking*

27th Feb – Centipedes

5th March – Making & Keeping a Diptera Collection

19th March – Mining Bees

31st March – Shieldbugs & Allies

10th April – Money Spiders

Book via eventbrite here.

Funded by the Tanyptera Trust and supported by National Museums Liverpool.

Latest Blogs

First British record of Ctenochira bisinuata Förster 1855 (Ichneumonidae: Tryphoninae) – Formby National TrustDuring a National Museums Liverpool survey of parasitic wasps at Formby National Trust (VC59) on 29th September 2020, a female ichneumon resembling Ctenochira haemosterna was swept from the edge of a small mixed woodland with... Read more »
Collecting beetles from flood refuseAlthough summer is often seen as peak time for entomology, many groups can be collected all year round if suitable techniques are used. This is particularly the case for beetles, as many species overwinter as... Read more »
A revision of the robberflies (Asilidae) of the Sefton Coast sand-dunesIntroduction Smith & Kinsella (2020) reported on six robberflies (Asilidae) they had recorded and photographed in the Sefton Coast sand-dune system, suggesting that four more species might be discovered through field survey, namely Dioctria atricapilla,... Read more »
2020 Invertebrate Highlights of a Southport GardenMy job revolves around protected sites and whilst I fully appreciate the invertebrate wonders to be found on nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest, since reading Ken Thompson’s ‘No Nettles Required’ well over... Read more »
Mapping an unusual Staphylinid in CheshireOn 19th July 2020 Don Stenhouse and I were hunting for beetles in Danebridge, Staffordshire. We were on a mission to find new sites for Bromius obscurus (we didn’t) but like most beetlers, couldn’t resist... Read more »
Beetles for HymenopteristsOther than the beetles associated with ant nests there are a couple of others that should interest Hymenopterists – and both are rarely recorded. Firstly is the Wasp Beetle (Metoecus paradoxus), the UK’s only representative... Read more »

Upcoming Events

Making and keeping a Diptera collection Webinar5^th Mar 2021 1:00 pm - 2:15 pmLed by Dipterist Nigel Jones, this is very much a webinar where participants can share their own “top tips” for useful techniques and saving money. The webinar will focus on pinned dry specimens. Making and... Read more »
Mining Bees Webinar19^th Mar 2021 1:00 pm - 2:15 pmThe Andrena are the largest genus of bees in the UK with 68 species. They typically nest in light soils excavated by the females, hence the common name of mining bees. Focusing on the common... Read more »
Shieldbugs & Allies Webinar31^st Mar 2021 6:00 pm - 7:15 pmThis webinar will provide an introduction to the identification and ecology of Shieldbugs and allies in the UK. Tutor information: Tristan Bantock is a consultant entomologist with a specialist interest in Hemiptera. He is the... Read more »
Money Spider Webinar10^th Apr 2021 1:00 pm - 2:15 pmRichard Gallon (Newsletter Editor of the British Arachnological Society) will introduce you to the amazing world of Money Spiders (Linyphiidae). Although small, their ecology and behaviours are extremely interesting. Some have wacky, bizarre morphologies too!... Read more »