Identifying and Recording Woodlice

FSC Values: Delivering first-hand experience Providing opportunities for everyone Sustainability for the future A caring attitude.

FSC BioLinks

Date Location Level Sole Shared Non-resident* 25th – 27th Oct FSC Juniper Hall Intermediate occupancy* room* 2019 £50 £30 £20 *This course is offered at a reduced rate due to support from the FSC BioLinks project

Course Overview

Woodlice (order Isopoda: suborder Oniscidea) are important decomposers and amongst the most accessible groups of invertebrates to study. 40 species are present in the UK and they occur in a wide range of habitats. However, our present knowledge of the status and distribution of woodlice remains patchy as they are under-recorded. Although they can be found all year, woodlice are considerably easier to find in autumn and spring, when conditions are damp, but mild so this weekend will be a mixture of classroom and field sessions. On this course you will:  Learn about the fascinating natural history and important ecological role of woodlice.  Learn and practice the field techniques needed to find and collect them.  Use microscopes, keys, and preserved specimens, to learn how to identify them down to species level.  Find out how to record woodlice and how take your interest further.

Please note that this course will involve the use of specimens that have been killed and preserved.

01743 852100 www.field-studies-council.org [email protected] Timetable

Residential guests are welcome to arrive, register and settle into rooms any time from 4.30pm on Friday. Non-residents need not arrive so early but should aim to be here by 6pm.

The course will begin with a short welcome session before dinner at 6pm on the Friday and will finish at approximately 4.00pm on Sunday.

What’s included?

 Up to 10 hours of tuition a day  Certificate of attendance  Full board accommodation from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch inclusive o Cooked breakfast, packed lunch, homemade cakes and evening meal o Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary options are available if notified in advance o All bedding and towels are provided  Tea and coffee making facilities  Use of Wi-Fi internet, bar/lounge, library  Any excursions during the course will be on foot © G. Bradley

Non-residential fees include all of the above except breakfast, packed lunch and accommodation.

About the Tutor Steve Gregory is a member of the British Myriapod and Isopod Group, one of the editors of the group’s annual Bulletin and organiser of the national Woodlouse Recording Scheme.

Steve is also author of Woodlice and Waterlice in Britain and Ireland (2009), an updated account of the distribution and habitat preferences of the British and Irish fauna. He has had an interest in woodlice, millipedes and centipedes for many years and has published a number of scientific papers on all three groups. His particular interests include the ecology and distribution (biogeography) of the British fauna and current projects include woodlice, millipedes and centipedes of heated ‘tropical’ glasshouses and those occurring in the south Wales valleys.

What to Bring

 Notebook and pencil  Laptop, if you have one  Hand lens (if you have one)  Identification guides/keys (if you  Appropriate clothing for fieldwork have any) and the classroom i.e. waterproofs, boots etc.

There will be a member of staff with first aid training and access to a first aid kit on site. If you have special medical or access requirements, please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan the course.

01743 852100 www.field-studies-council.org [email protected] How to Book

Bookings can be made by visiting the FSC Biodiversity website: http://www.fscbiodiversity.uk/courses. Or by telephoning Juniper Hall on 01306 734501 or emailing enquiries.jh@field-studies- council.org.

Getting there

Juniper Hall Field Centre, Old London Road, Mickleham, Dorking, RH5 6DA.

From the north (please use RH5 6BZ for Satnavs): From the junction 9 of the M25 take the A24 towards Dorking. After the Givons Grove roundabout turn left to continue on the A24 south towards Dorking for approximately 1 mile and then take the B2209 left into the village of Mickleham. Go through the village past the Church and the Running Horses pub and continue for about ½ mile. The entrance to Juniper Hall is on the left hand side immediately after Headley Lane. Please note that there is no entrance to the centre from Headley Lane.

From the south (please use RH5 6BZ for Satnavs): Join the A24 and head north towards Leatherhead. Go straight over Denbighs Vineyard roundabout and at the next roundabout (Burford Bridge) turn right towards Box Hill and Mickleham. Continue past the Burford Bridge Hotel and the turning for Box Hill and up a small hill. As you go over the top of the hill the centre is at the bottom of the hill on the right hand side.

By Train:  Dorking Station (1.6 miles) - regular trains from London (Victoria and Waterloo) and Horsham. Taxis are readily available outside the main station.  Dorking Deepdene (1.6 miles) - trains from Reading, Guildford, Gatwick, Redhill and Reigate stop at Dorking Deepdene station.  Box Hill and Westhumble (1 mile). By Bus: The 465 service runs between Dorking (opposite the main train station) to Kingston upon Thames and stops just outside the centre.

01743 852100 www.field-studies-council.org [email protected]

About FSC BioLinks

This course is part of a structured pathway of training courses on Myriapods and Ispopods .The diagram below shows the FSC BioLinks training pathway for these groups and illustrates where this course fits into the pathway.

01743 852100 www.field-studies-council.org [email protected]