Despite slugs being a regular occurrence in our gardens and green spaces. Many people are unaware that we have around 40 species of slugs and 99 species of snails within the UK and that many are not the ‘garden menace’ they are made out to be, with many providing valuable ecosystem services to our environments. Join the mollusc extraordinaire, Imogen Cavadino from the Royal Horticultural society and learn how incredible these often underappreciated animals are.
If you’re interested in finding out more about slugs and snails but don’t feel ready for a beginner’s ID workshop, then this is the course for you. Learn To Love Slugs and snails is a gentle introduction to UK molluscs, introducing aspects of their biology, ecology and behaviour.
This course combines the use of classroom-led learning and outside learning opportunities led by one of our bee tutors to give individuals the skills and confidence to learn more about the lives and ecological roles of both slugs and snails.
- Certificate upon course completion.
- Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
- Please note that this course is NOT a species identification course.
This course is aimed at adults only and course attendees must be at least 18 years old in order to attend.
What will be covered during this course?
- Differentiating slugs and snails and discussing their place in the animal kingdom.
- An introduction to UK slugs and snails, including their anatomy and morphology.
- An overview of the species diversity of slugs and snails within the UK.
- The ecological roles of different groups of slugs and snails.
- How to go about finding slugs and snails in different habitats.
- Please note that this course is NOT a species identification course
- Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
See the ‘Example Timetable’, ‘What’s Included’ and ‘Before You Attend’ sections below for more information about this course.
Course Fees
Regular Price: £75 For professionals and residents outside of the UK. Select ‘Attendee: In Person’ Sold Out
Subsidised Price: £10 Subsidised by the FSC BioLinks project for non-professionals eg. volunteers, biological recorders, wildlife gardeners, amateur naturalists and students.Available to UK residents only. Select ‘Attendee Subsidised: In Person’
Tutor: Imogen Cavadino
Imogen Cavadino first became interested in slugs and snails during a taxonomy and identification module during her masters at university. A chance question and encounter with a national expert led to her completing a one-year TCV Natural Talent traineeship on “Non-marine molluscs” at Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales in Cardiff. This included sampling terrestrial and aquatic molluscs across South East Wales, identifying material to species level and adding them to the museum’s permanent collections.
Imogen is now working on a PhD on understanding slugs and snail species diversity and ecology in gardens with the Royal Horticultural Society, Newcastle University and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. As part of her PhD, she is leading the RHS Cellar Slug Survey, collecting data on three large patterned species of slug found in British gardens to understand recent changes in distributions. She is also an ordinary committee member for the Conchological Society of Britain and Ireland, and acts as a verifier for terrestrial mollusc records on iRecord. She is a keen advocate for this often unloved and overlooked fascinating group of terrestrial invertebrates.
Covid Measures
In order to keep our customers and staff safe, we ask that anyone attending our centres:
- Wears a face covering when in shared indoor space (unless exempt).
- Maintains social distancing.
- Cleans their hands regularly.
- Takes a Covid-19 test before they arrive.
Book with Confidence
We understand the difficulties of making plans in the current situation when guidelines continue to change, and insurance conditions are being tightened. In response, we will continue to offer additional flexibility. Find out more here
Example Timetable
- Please arrive in time for the course to start promptly at 10:00 am.
- Refreshments will be available from 9.45 am.
- The course will end at 4:00 pm.
What's Included
-
Expert Tuition -
Hot and Cold Drinks
- 6 hours of tuition
- Certificate of attendance
- Any excursions will be on foot
Bursaries and Subsidies
FSC BioLinks
FSC BioLinks is an exciting project for FSC in the South East and West Midlands, bringing together existing volunteers with skills in biological recording and identification, and new volunteers.
This project provides subsidised training courses, learning opportunities and digital tools focussed on invertebrate identification for anyone involved or interested in biological recording, to build and strengthen the community.
Invertebrates provide us with many useful ecosystem services, like pollination and decomposition, which we cannot survive without but their numbers are declining. Few people know how to identify or record invertebrates meaning there is a lack of data
We are delighted to have been awarded a grant of £1.23 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for this project.
Before You Attend
Getting to Morden Hall Park
Morden Hall Road, Morden, London, SM4 5JD
- By underground: Morden (Northern Line), then a 500 yard walk along Aberconway Road, or Wimbledon (District Line) then tram to Phipps Bridge or bus to Kenley Road.
- By train: Tramlink to Phipps Bridge stop, on park boundary ½ mile walk from Stableyard.
- By bus: The following bus routes stop on the boundary of the park: 80, 118, 157, 164, 201, 470, 93, and the K5 route terminates at Morden Station, a 500 yard walk away along Aberconway Road.
- By road: off A24, and A297 south of Wimbledon, north of Sutton.
- Parking: Car parking space limited, 25 yards. We have limited parking available onsite, please consider other ways to get here.
Due to the prospect of some outside observations as part of this course, participants are advised to bring suitable clothing and footwear.
What to bring
- Notebook and pencil
- Lunch
- Hand lens (if you have one)
Due to the outside nature of part of this course, participants are advised to bring suitable clothing and footwear in order to access the nature reserve in various weather conditions.
This BioLinks course has aspects that will be taught outdoors with walking to field sites over uneven ground. No special preparation is required providing you are used to gentle exercise. If you have any concerns or questions about access or the activities involved, please get in touch.
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 requirements please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan the course.
Sorry this course has ended
