Cardiff Naturalists’ Society Indoor Meetings Jan-March 2015

The first meeting will commence on Tuesday 13^th January the speaker Rob Parry, and the subject “The Wildlife of Parc Slip Nature Reserve”.
The talk will cover the recent developments at the Wildlife Trust’s Parc Slip Nature Reserve in Bridgend, including the creation of several wader scrapes, which are now overlooked by the Mary Gilham Elevated Hide.  Parc Slip nature reserve supports a variety of habitats, from meadows and wetlands to scrub and mixed woodland, which together attracts a plethora of wildlife.

Our members evening on Monday 26^th January, is held to enjoy members Wildlife and Holiday, photographic contributions to the evening. Members who wish to contribute please contact Hilary Wicks.

Monday 16^th February the speaker is Chris Hatch and the subject “In search of the Wildcat”.

A photographic journey through the highlands of Scotland, in search of the wildlife to be found there with a particular emphasis on looking for the elusive Scottish Wildcat.

The meeting on Thursday 26^th February is a combined meeting with Cardiff Group South and West Wales Wildlife Trust and the student Wildlife Society Cardiff University and will be held in the Wallace Lecture  Theatre, ground floor, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff.
The speaker Richard Wistow and the subject “Colliery Spoil Biodiversity” (please note the change of tittle).
The Colliery spoil sites of the South Wales valleys are a unique and valuable habitat supporting a suit of colliery spoil species. However, it is only recently that their biodiversity value started to become recognised and we have only just started to understand that importance. However, it is not just ecology; colliery spoil also has a fascinating geological, landscape and historic story which has yet to be fully told.  As it stands colliery spoil; is poorly understood and undervalued without a better understanding an effective conservation strategy cannot be developed.  In my talk I hope to describe some of the key issues associated with colliery spoil biodiversity and to help raise the profile of these superb habitats.

The meeting held on Tuesday 17^th March the speaker is Dr Neil Price and the subject  “Hemiptera: the real bugs”.
The lecture will introduce the group to Hemiptera, a largely under recorded order of insects in Wales. It will include a section on morphology, classification and survey methods: there will also be a section on keys and guides. There will be a focus on some on some of the more frequently recorded species in Wales, with a range of habitats being discussed. The speaker will draw upon his own experience of surveying for this group in Wales and will discuss a number of case studies.

The last meeting on Monday 23^rd March will be in two parts a talk by the student awarded the Cardiff Naturalists’ Bioscience Prize.

The speaker for the second part to be arranged as soon as possible.

All Meetings unless otherwise stated will be held in Lecture Theatre 0023(023) Ground Floor Metropolitan University, Llandaff Campus, Western Ave, Llandaff, Cardiff.

All meetings are held  7.30pm to 9.00pm