HE Team Leader for Animal Management, Joseph Parker-Jones and Animal Management Lecturer Dr. Rena Boothe together with the Level 6 Animal Conservation and Biodiversity BSc students at Hadlow College, have been cited in a published handbook by The Royal Entomological Society and author Olga Sivell.
Team Leader Joseph noticed a tweet asking for volunteers to contribute to a handbook Olga Sivell wanted to produce on trapping blow flies for identification for the Calliphoriadae, Polleniidae and Rhiniidae recording scheme.
The lecturers and students set up traps around the College with the aim of recording the blow fly species that were attracted to carrion, to produce up to date distribution maps and learn about the seasonality of different species. Each sample was sent to Olga for identification as part of their research skills lesson and samples were sent after the lesson had finished to aid Olga’s research further.
Joseph Parker-Jones HE Team Leader for Animal Management said, “It was an excellent opportunity to participate in a nationwide recording scheme for forensically important blowflies and to have our students involved in the data collection process, we would like to thank Dr. Olga Sivell for her acknowledgments for both Hadlow college staff and students who contributed to her handbook”.
BSc Animal Conservation and Biodiversity student Natasha Lawson-Hale said, “Being involved in practical research for the colleges partners so early on in our studies, not only gave us insight in the practical possibilities, but enabled us to grow our practical skill set".