Did you know… that we have 46 species of ladybird in the UK?! These colourful Coccinellids are actually a family within the Coleoptera (or beetle) order of insects. The group includes easily spotted garden favourites such as the 7-spot ladybird, as well as a number of lesser known species officially known as ‘Inconspicuous’ ladybirds. Come along to find out more about how to tell them apart.

These sessions are similar to the ‘Drop-in’ sessions which we were running ‘pre-covid’, but now have 2 parts:

• BEFORE THE SESSION – Watch this webinar (An introduction to identifying and recording ladybirds – UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) to learn the basics of identifying this group.
• ON THE DAY – Come along on the day to put your new-found knowledge into practice by having a go at identifying some of the common species.

During the session, we’ll have museum specimens, guides and microscopes on hand to use, so you can familiarise yourself with the ladybirds you’re likely to encounter in Cheshire this year. If you’re new to invertebrate identification, we’ll help get you started and work together to understand what features to look out for. For anyone with an existing interest, it’s a great chance to find out some more detail about this group through practicing species identification in a friendly setting.

*Please note* This is not a formal workshop, just an opportunity to ‘give it a go’ along with other interested people in a shared learning environment. There will also be free hot drinks and biscuits!

Places are limited – please book your place via the eventbrite link

These sessions are run in collaboration with RECORD LERC