The summer has got off to a great start for us at the BioBlitz team as we have already been busy getting involved with the local community. On Wednesday 8th June we run our annual campus BioBlitz, aiming to find and identify as many different species present on the University of Southampton’s Highfield campus. To find out more about how the day went, the number species we found and the interesting lunch provided click here to be sent to the university’s Sustainable Action Blog, where we wrote a guest blog for them.
In the past weeks we have also been active in local schools, running BioBlitz sessions for classes from reception to year six. Armed with bug pots and keen eyes, the aim of these sessions was to find as many different mini-beasts in the school grounds a possible. This has allow the students to get hands on experience locating and catching the wildlife, before identifying what they’ve found, looking for key features, such as wings and the number of legs. So far, we have visited Fair Oaks Junior School with Dr Neil Gosling (who talked about Charles Darwin and the interesting fossils), Camelsdale Primary School as part of their science week, Awbridge Primary School and Highfield Church of England Primary School. Every visit has been unique, depending on the type of environments available and the weather (that has varied from incredibly sunny to pouring with rain!). We have really enjoyed running these sessions, and it’s clear that the students have as well!
Special thank you to all those that have helped out, including Aaron Kemp, Emily Jordan, Zoe Thomas-Buffin, Becky Jones, Carla Broom, Daniela Sievers, Susan Sun, and Frances Mullany.
We’ve also been working with children outside of the classroom, on the Thursday the 26th May we visited the Portswood Brownies and on Wednesday 28th of June we travelled up to Itchen Valley Country Park to run a session with their Beavers group. Both sessions ran really well, due to the enthusiasm of the groups and perfect weather for the wildlife to be out and active. The fun continues, with next week including sessions with both the Eastleigh Beavers and Cubs.
Finally, Marwells’ Zany Zebra trail launches in Southampton next week on Wednesday 6th, and a parade on Tuesday 12th.  Come check us, and the other zebras, out around Southampton city centre over the summer. To keep up to date on where our BioBlitz zebra will be and the events that we will be running next to it over the summer, keep your eyes fixed on our Facebook and Twitter pages!
Love,
Meg and Olly
Posted By : Oliver Cockroft