Led by: 
Tim Sexton, Senior Species and Recording Officer, Rutland Water Nature Reserve.
Paul Palmer, Recording Volunteer.

Soil and leaf litter minifauna are an important yet often overlooked part of the ecosystem because they are small and hard to see unless actively sought. A Berlese Funnel is a simple device that can extract a good sample of spiders, springtails, snails, centipedes, millipedes, worms, beetles, pseudoscorpions, woodlice, and many other smaller fauna. Most of these can be identified through microscopic examination in conjunction with suitable keys. The majority of these species are under-recorded in Leicestershire, so there is a real chance of discovering new species for the county.

The evening will commence with an introductory talk on soil and leaf litter minifauna by Paul, including a demonstration of a Berlese funnel set up earlier in the week. Tim will then lead a practical session using microscopes and keys to identify one group of minifauna.