Freshwater invertebrates are a diverse and vital part of aquatic ecosystems in the UK, inhabiting rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. These diverse animals include insects, molluscs, crustaceans, and leeches. They play a key role in food webs and are often used as indicators for water quality.
This self-led course equips participants with essential identification skills for studying freshwater invertebrates. Providing an introduction to the main taxonomic groups commonly found in the UK’s freshwater habitats, this Freshwater Invertebrates course will help you develop a deeper understanding of their diversity and ecological importance.
What will be covered during this course?
This is a two-hour self-led online course covering three topics. Each topic will contain a number of self-led resources to work through at your own pace. The topics covered include:
- Less commonly encountered freshwater invertebrates
- Commonly encountered freshwater invertebrates
- Freshwater insect orders
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By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Identify major groups of invertebrates found in freshwater environments in the British Isles and describe their habitat preferences
- Recognise key morphological features associated with different freshwater invertebrate phyla.
- Identify commonly encountered freshwater insect orders and describe their distinguishing morphological features.
Who Should Attend? – Anyone with an interest in the topic. e.g., Educators, nature enthusiasts, students, rangers and early career ecologists.
Knowledge Level – Beginner. Level descriptors can be found on the following webpage: Framework and Course Level Descriptors
Prior Knowledge – No existing knowledge or experience is needed for this course, just a willingness to contribute and learn.
Please note – bookings will close 2 working days before the course start date to allow for all participants to be enrolled to the online platform – bookings will not be taken after this time.*
*Bookings will close sooner if course capacity is reached
Example Timetable
Time commitment: This course will require approximately 2 hours of your time. Once you have access to the course, you can complete the content at your own pace.
What's Included
The course has been carefully created to help you continue to build and develop your knowledge as the course progresses, with content crafted for the online Moodle Platform and bespoke to the Field Studies Council.
The course includes:
- 3 hours of self-led learning material
- A course completion certificate.
Once the course commences, you will gain access to self-study ’workbooks’ to begin your learning journey. Quizzes and skill checks will give you instant feedback on your learning. Forums give students the chance to interact with each other as well as a place to share work.
Recommended Devices
It is recommended that you access your course through a PC or laptop. Please be aware that there will be reduced functionality if you decide to access the course through a tablet or smartphone. The Field Studies Council is unable to email content directly to you.
The course fee includes VAT.
Bursaries and Subsidies
Student Discount
This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off all Biodiversity courses.
Natural History Bursaries
There are a number of natural history bursaries available to help with the cost of your course. To find out if you and your chosen course are eligible, read more here.
Before You Attend
Accessing Your Course
Once you sign up, you’ll receive an email at least 24 hours in advance of the course opening with details of how to access our easy-to-use platform, Moodle.
Moodle can be accessed through a browser or an app.
Opportunities to attend this course
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Tue 13, May 2025 - Tue 10, June 2025
No current dates for this course? Click here to view all the upcoming Natural History courses.
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Progress Your Learning
This is a training course from the Field Studies Council, delivered in a self-led e-learning style. After attending this course, you may like to progress your learning with further relevant courses or branch out into other areas of natural history. The Field Studies Council offers both online and in-person courses, so you can choose the learning style that suits you best.
The course gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new subject and acquire novel skills. Our online portal gives you time to study at your own pace and fit the lessons around your own schedule.
If you have any questions about our online courses please check our Frequently Asked Questions or email [email protected].
Group Bookings Made Easy
If you have a group of 10 or more individuals wanting to complete one of our courses, our team are available to discuss your options – from discounts to private team courses. Find out more!
You can rest assured that the absolute best content from an expert in environmental education will be at your fingertips. In choosing a Field Studies Council course, you will be joining thousands of people who learn with us each year.
