Event: Invertebrate Research Lectures

The entoLIVE webinar programme shines a spotlight on invertebrate science.

Check out the latest entomological research in our free webinars. Booking essential.

2026 Programme: April to Junes 2026

• 07 Apr 2026 Revealing Insect Pest Pathways
• 22 Apr 2026 Backyard Bees: Private Green Spaces and Pollinator Diversity in Cities
• 13 May 2026 Pan-Species Listing: How to Become a Super-Naturalist
• 28 May 2026 Underexplored Freshwater Habitats in Ireland: Case Studies Using Riverflies
• 02 Jun 2026 Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider

07 Apr 2026 Revealing Insect Pest Pathways

All plants and animals carry a natural chemical signature shaped by the environment in which they grow and feed. This signature comes from stable isotopes – naturally occurring forms of elements that differ slightly in mass but do not decay over time. The relative abundance of these isotopes varies predictably with factors such as climate, geography, and diet. Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA) is a powerful analytical technique based on this principle. It measures these subtle differences in isotope ratios, allowing samples to be “fingerprinted” according to their origin.

Over the past several decades, SIRA has been widely used to trace the production and movement of biological materials. Katharina Heinrich (Fera - the Food and Environment Research Agency) introduces the principles behind stable isotopes and SIRA, and explores how the technique can be applied to identify insect pest pathways. Case studies include house flies and wood-boring beetles, such as the invasive Asian longhorn beetle and Ips typographus.

22 Apr 2026 Backyard Bees: Private Green Spaces and Pollinator Diversity in Cities

Private green spaces, such as gardens and allotments, have an important role in supporting pollinator diversity within cities. Emma Plant (University of Glasgow) explores the environmental factors that shape pollinator communities in these spaces, including the influence of both native and non-native plants.

We will also examine whether gardens and allotments differ in their ability to provide resources for pollinators and identify which plant species are most frequently visited. This research aims to highlight the importance of private green spaces for sustaining pollinators in urban environments and inform strategies to make cities more biodiversity-friendly.

13 May 2026 Pan-Species Listing: How to Become a Super-Naturalist

Pan-Species Listing (PSL) is an exciting initiative encouraging naturalists to record ALL the species they have seen in the UK in a friendly and competitive way that promotes general wildlife recording and biodiversity in the process.

In this talk, Graeme Lyons will introduce the PSL approach, describe the benefits of the framework, and then take us on a whistle-stop tour of the relevant 'groups' of wildlife in the UK (how to get into them, where to start, etc.). The talk will be sprinkled with lots of nice photos and anecdotes from Graeme's storied career as an entomologist and pan-species lister.

28 May 2026 Underexplored Freshwater Habitats in Ireland: Case Studies Using Riverflies

Ireland's freshwater landscape encompasses over 12,000 lakes and extensive river networks, primarily shaped by Pleistocene glaciation. Standard aquatic surveys consistently target riffle zones, boulder substrates, and macrophyte beds, systematically overlooking specialised microhabitats such as seeps, temporary streams, turloughs, and those with groundwater sources including springs and the hyporheic zone of rivers that may harbour unique invertebrate communities.

Using Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) as focal taxa, Dr Helen Barber-James (National Museums NI) examines distributional gaps and discusses species found in some of Ireland's specialised aquatic habitats, based on recent surveys carried out at various locations across Ireland.

02 Jun 2026 Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider

The Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is a camouflage expert when it comes to hiding out on flower heads to capture prey.

In this talk, Rose Christopher (Newcastle University) will introduce the ecology of these spiders, why it is important to study these types of interactions, the many different techniques she's utilising to do that, and how you can get involved with helping to decipher the choices these spiders make.