Program Overview

Entomology Summer School (Harper Adams University & Royal Entomological Society)

Overview

The HAU/RES Entomology Summer School is a five-day course hosted at Harper Adams University and run in collaboration with the Royal Entomological Society. The course provides foundational skills for ecological and evolutionary research in entomology, with a particular emphasis on field sampling techniques, insect identification, and essential laboratory skills such as insect culturing and specimen preparation and curation.

Learning Outcomes

The course's learning outcomes are aligned with industry needs, addressing identified skill gaps while incorporating feedback from previous attendees. Training is specifically designed for novice entomologists and focuses on key areas such as fieldwork, species identification, and insect culturing.

• Understand the importance of taxonomy and accurate species identification in ecological and evolutionary research.
• Plan and execute insect field sampling in accordance with research objectives, while assessing the strengths and limitations of various methods.
• Develop proficiency in specimen curation and preparation for identification.
• Gain expertise in using online tools and traditional keys for accurate insect identification.
• Acquire knowledge of insect culturing techniques.

Logistics

• The course runs for five full days from Monday 30th June to Friday 4th July 2025.
• Participants have the option to arrive the evening before the course commences on Sunday 29th June.
• The course is fully funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and is free to attend.
• Food and accommodation are provided for the duration of the course.
• Course participants will have their own rooms based on the Harper Adams University campus.
• Travel expenses to Harper Adams University from within the UK will be refunded.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

• The course is aimed at PhD students and early career researchers but is open to anyone, with no prior experience of entomology required.
• We particularly welcome applications from anyone who is underrepresented in academia, and especially in entomology or the ecological and environmental sciences.
• To ensure equality of access to this training opportunity places on the course will be awarded via a lottery ballot system, although priority will be given to NERC funded PhD students and ECRs and applicants working on NERC related topics.

Cost

• The course is fully funded by NERC and free to attend.

Dates

• 30 June-4 July 2025

What will I study?

The course will follow the approximate schedule below, with timings remaining flexible around weather conditions required for fieldwork.

• Day 1: Introduction to taxonomic principles, biodiversity, and ecology, followed by field training in insect sampling (e.g., flying insects, vegetation-dwelling insects, and moth trapping).
• Day 2: Collection and identification of moths, training in sampling ground-dwelling insects, and introduction to order-level identification using traditional keys and open-source resources.
• Day 3: Lab-based training on insect external anatomy, systematic biology, and specimen preparation (pinning, mounting, and labelling). Participants will also learn best practices for curating collections, including imaging and databasing.
• Day 4: Training in insect culturing techniques and their application in research, followed by a workshop on professional networking and funding opportunities for postgraduate students and early-career researchers (ECRs).
• Day 5: Identification of insects to sub/family level within major orders (Hymenoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera), with a focus on how taxonomy reflects recent findings in evolutionary biology.