Beetle Field Recorder Day

Beetle Field Recorder Day

  • Ages 18+

Join Wil J. Heeney to help record the beetles of the reserves within the Hogsmill Valley (Kingston).

By The Biological Recording Company

Date and time

Wednesday, June 4 · 10am - 4pm GMT+1

Location

Hogsmill Valley

Malden Way Surbiton KT3 5QW United Kingdom

Refund Policy

No Refunds

About this event

Join fellow nature enthusiasts for a day dedicated to discovering, identifying, and recording beetles in a relaxed and supportive setting. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced naturalist, this event offers a great opportunity to share knowledge, build confidence in biological recording, and refine your identification skills — all with guidance from beetle specialist Wil J. Heeney.

What will the day involve?

  • Hands-on experience using different methods to collect and record a variety of beetle families.
  • Practical training in specimen collection and preservation.
  • Guidance on identifying beetles in the field and understanding which specimens require further examination under a microscope.
  • A chance to connect with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds who share an interest in entomology and wildlife recording.

What do I need to know in advance?

  • This event is aimed at adults only.
  • It’s free to attend and beetle recorders of all abilities are welcome, but booking is essential.
  • Identification will take place in the field whenever possible, but some invertebrate specimens may need to be collected and preserved for accurate identification.
  • We'll be outside for the whole day so please bring suitable clothing for all types of weather and please bring your lunch and any snacks you will require with you on the day.

Recording London's Wildlife

All records collected will be added to the LNHS iRecord activity in order to share our findings with the site managers, Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL), London Natural History Society (LNHS) and relevant national recording schemes and societies.

Beetle Specialist: Wil J. Heeney

Wil J. Heeney is the National Recorder for Longhorn Beetles in the UK and runs the National Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme. Wil works as a Consultant Entomologist through his business, Flauna Ecology, and also volunteers as Conservation Officer for the Coleopterists Society of Britain and Ireland (ColSoc).

Hogsmill Valley

The Hogsmill Valley is a cluster of local nature reserves along The Hogsmill river, comprising of Rose Walk, Elmbridge Open Space, Hogsmill wood, Southwood Open Space and Six Acre Meadow.

This event is delivered by the Biological Recording Company in partnership with Kingston Council and aims to continue previous biological recording efforts across the Hogsmill Valley reserves.

The meeting point for this event will be Malden Manor train station (KT3 5PN).

Tags

Organized by

The Biological Recording Company

The Biological Recording Company provide a range of events focused on educating and training biological recorders and biodiversity professionals in the United Kingdom.

  • entoLIVE Webinars are free 1-hour virtual events exploring the science of insects and other invertebrates. Each webinar will feature an invertebrate scientist and are suitable for adults of all abilities – a passion for invertebrates is all that’s required!
  • Virtual Symposiums explore a subject in more detail through a series of talks from subject experts. These longer events have a small charge and are often available with an 'earlybird' discount.
  • Field Recorder Days are 1-day events where experienced and novice recorders come together to record the wildlife of a site. Records are generally collated through iRecord and shared with the site manager, Local Environmental Record Centre and relevant National Recording Schemes/Societies.
  • Earthworm Training Courses cover topics such as biology, ecology, sampling techniques and identification.
Free