Tag Archives: water bugs

Lab ‘n’ Live Waterbugs through the looking glass….

Friday 13 and Saturday 14 October

Interested in having a closer look at freshwater Waterbugs?
Join us for a day in a laboratory with a microscope and a day beside a river.
By looking at waterbugs up close under the microscope at preserved specimens, and alive in
their natural surrounds, we hope to teach people waterbug taxonomy using a combination of
waterbug characters in a holistic way so that you can recognise these animals more readily
when you encounter them in the wild.

Resources on hand will include identification keys to the various waterbugs (as refined since
the publication of The Waterbug Book in 2002) and the ALT keys which allow people to
identify live animals in the field, sometimes to species, depending on how distinctive the
animal is.

Details:
2 days, Price $500 ($300 for StreamWatch or WaterWatch volunteers)
Dates – Register for either:
WORKSHOP A – Friday 13th October & Saturday 14th of October
OR
WORKSHOP B – Saturday 14th of October & Sunday 15th October
The Field Day (Saturday 14th of October)
One day in the field (at Royal National Park – location to be finalised) using ALT ID methods
(see webpage below for more info!). This day would combine StreamWatch/ WaterWatchers
and professionals and foster networking opportunities.

The Laboratory Day (Friday 13th October or Sunday 15th October)
One day in the laboratory learning to distinguish the invertebrates from one another at the
taxonomic level of Order (or lower on given animals if desired). The venue is The Sydney
Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) laboratory.
Attendees will need to be able to make their own way to each of the laboratory and field
venues, but this should be possible even on public transport.
http://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/visit/chowder-bay-headland-park/planning-your-visit

To book a place contact John Gooderham – flatworm@ozemail.com.au or 0447 893 519
All the resources used in this training are freely available from The Waterbug Company:
http://www.thewaterbug.net/ALT.html http://thewaterbugapp.com/

Bringing Glenbrook Lagoon back to life

water weeds cabomba 2012-2013

Water weeds Cabomba 2012-2013

A Council aquatic weed control program funded partly by the Blue Mountains Environment Levy and partly by the Federal Government’s Caring for our Country initiative is dramatically improving the condition of Glenbrook Lagoon by tackling a water-weed infestation that has ‘choked’ the lagoon for many years. Continue reading