Bug Field Recorder Day with The Biological Recording Company – Ealing

Join Tristan Bantock for a day recording the true bugs (Hemiptera) of Paradise Fields (Ealing).

At this Field Recorder Day, we invite you to join like-minded nature enthusiasts for a day of finding, identifying and recording bugs.

Naturalists of all levels (from total beginner to expert) are encouraged to attend, share their experiences with peers and help one another improve their knowledge and build confidence in biological recording. Bug specialist Tristan Bantock will be leading the day and providing guidance throughout.

The event will take place at Paradise Fields on Horsenden Hill in the London Borough of Ealing. This is the site which became nationally (and internationally) famous for hosting an enclosed beaver reintroduction, the first of its sort in the UK. In addition to its furry residents, Paradise Fields also boasts a variety of interesting habitats ranging from ancient woodland to wildflower meadows with a rich invertebrate fauna to boot.

What are true bugs?

Hemiptera – or true bugs – are the fifth largest order of insects in the UK, with around 2,000 described species. As a group, the true bugs are remarkably diverse in everything from size, pattern and shape, to lifestyle and habitat, and include everything from familiar shieldbugs and aphids, to planthoppers, jumping plant lice and water boatmen.

From an ecological perspective, they are indispensable. Bugs occupy a remarkable diversity of niches, acting as herbivores, predators, scavengers, and sometimes even pollinators. The majority of hemipterans – however – are herbivores, feeding on plant sap using specialised piercing-sucking mouthparts. From a conservation and monitoring perspective, recording Hemiptera at a site yields considerable insight into habitat quality, trophic interactions, and ecosystem resilience. Because bug species often have specific host plants or microhabitat requirements, documenting their occurrence helps site managers detect rare or specialist species, understand subtle ecological niches, and prioritise areas for protection.

What will the day involve?

• Hands-on fieldwork experience using different survey methods to collect and record a variety of Hemiptera families.
• Practical training in specimen collection and preservation.
• Guidance on identifying bugs in the field where possible, and understanding which specimens require further examination under a microscope.
• A chance to connect with like-minded individuals who share an interest in entomology and biological recording.

What do I need to know in advance?

• This event is aimed at adults only.
• Attendance is free, but booking is essential as spaces are limited.
• Invertebrate recorders of all abilities are welcome.
• Identification will take place in the field whenever possible, but some specimens may need to be collected and preserved for accurate identification with a microscope.
• We’ll be outside for the whole day so please bring suitable clothing for the weather.
• Please bring food for the day with you (i.e. packed lunch).
• All records generated will be added to iRecord in order to share our findings with the site managers, Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL), London Natural History Society (LNHS) and relevant national recording schemes and societies.
• Check out The Biological Recording Company’s ‘Info for Field Recorder Day Attendees’ page for more info (including instructions for setting up on iRecord).

Image credit: Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas