Flora and fauna: help us find 500 species

A ‘bioblitz’ is an intensive survey of the biodiversity of an area, usually over 24 hours, counting all the species of animal and plant life present. It’s useful, informative and above all fun – and our first ever bioblitz takes place this weekend, on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 June.

Staff, students and anyone else who wants to help out will be looking for nature on the central campus, in the Attenborough Arboretum and at Blackthorn Manor, a University property on Southmeads Road.

We will be counting mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians (we know we’ve got some newts), flowers, trees, fungi, earthworms, spiders, grasses. If it grows, we’ll count it. If you’ve got an interest in nature, a bioblitz is a great opportunity to learn how to identify common species: is that a common woodlouse or a pill woodlouse? A white-tailed bumble bee or a buff-tailed bumble bee? A mistle thrush or a song thrush?

The event kicks off on central campus on Friday evening with a bat and moth night, with cheese and wine (and hot chocolate) to keep the bioblitzers going. On Saturday morning there’s a dawn chorus patrol in the Attenborough Arboretum on Carisbrooke Road. And later that day there are guided wildlife walks around Blackthorn Manor.

Anyone is welcome to join in with the bioblitz but please book in advance with the Environment Team by contacting Victoria Robinson, vjr7@le.ac.uk, 0116 229 7382. Accompanied children are very welcome.