Identification workshop: harvestmen

In this series of specialist identification workshops, you'll learn the basics of how to recognise insect species of a particular group, whether it's in our entomology lab or out in the field. This event is for adults only, read on to find out more about this particular workshop and its location.

This event

You may know the group of arachnids, ‘Opiliones’ as Harvestmen or daddy-long-legs spiders. This course will offer insight into how these fascinating animals are very much not spiders and introduce you to their life histories and ecology.

This workshop will be at Leighton Moss, Carnforth and will cover a basic introduction to life histories, ecology, collecting and recording before looking at the key characters for identifying species. This will be a good introduction to allow you to recognise a good proportion of the 33 British species including several new discoveries which are spreading rapidly across the country and may be in a garden near you, waiting to be discovered.

The workshop will include richly illustrated indoor presentations, observing specimens under microscopes and opportunities to try field collection and identification skills.

Our Tutor

Paul Richards has nearly 40 years experience as a professional zoologist, curator and ecologist specialising in ground invertebrates. He is Sorby Natural History Society recorder for Millipedes, Centipedes, Woodlice, Harvestmen, and Pseudoscorpions. He wrote the BMIG guide to millipedes, centipedes and woodlice as well as the new atlas of Dragonflies of the Sheffield area and the recently updated FSC field guide to British Harvestmen.

The Tanyptera Project

These events are part of The Tanyptera Project, a 7.5 year initiative (2017-2024) funded by the Tanyptera Trust to promote the study and conservation of insects and other invertebrates in the Lancashire and Cheshire region of NW England. You can learn more about it on the North West Invertebrates website here.