If you’re interested in finding out more about hoverflies but don’t feel ready for a beginner’s ID workshop, then this is the course for you. Learn To Love Hoverflies is a very gentle introduction to  this group of insects, 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 beetles tutor to give individuals the skills and confidence to learn more about the lives and ecological roles of hoverflies.

  • Certificate upon course completion.
  • Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
  • Please note that this course is NOT a species identification course and will only go as far as categorising hoverflies into broad ecological categories.

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?

    • Recognising hoverflies from other similar looking insects and discussing their place in the animal kingdom.
    • An introduction to hoverfly biology, including their anatomy and morphology.
    • An overview of the species diversity of hoverflies in the UK
    • The ecological roles of different groups of hoverflies.
    • How to go about finding wild hoverflies in different habitats.

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: Peter Boardman

Pete first got into flies after volunteering with Liverpool Museum’s entomological department in the early 1990s, with support from Tom Mawdsley and Richard Underwood. He ‘discovered’ craneflies when county moth recorder for Shropshire and chose them as a dissertation subject for his MSc in the mid 2000s. Following this he committed to the group and immediately worked on a Shropshire distribution atlas (2007) and a second improved version with keys in 2016. 

In 2018 he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship which enabled him to spend a month at the Smithsonian Institution collections in Washington DC studying the Charles Alexander collection. This enabled him to later name 23 new species to science from Cameroon. 

He currently is national cranefly recorder for the Cranefly Recording Scheme supporting John Kramer and Alan Stubbs. 

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

  • 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 RSPB Sandwell Valley

RSPB Sandwell Valley, Tanhouse Ave, Birmingham B43 5AG, UK

By car: The reserve is brown signposted off the A4041 (Newton Rd) North of Hampstead.

By train: The nearest train station to RSPB Sandwell is Hamstead.

By bus from Birmingham Priory Queensway: Take the number 16 bus to Hamstead, alight at Tanhouse Avenue.

By bus from West Bromwich Bus Station: Take the number 5 or 46 bus and alight at Bowstoke Road. Walk along Bowstoke Road to Tanhouse Avenue (20 minutes walk).

By bus from Sutton Coldfield Lower Parade: Take the number 5 bus and alight at Bowstoke Road. Walk along Bowstoke Road to Tanhouse Avenue (20 minutes walk).

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 site 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