Field Entomology • Practical Skills • Real Natural History

Something new is emerging at Nomad Sea Kayaking.

For years, we’ve worked at the dynamic edge where sea meets land — tides, currents, weather, navigation. Now we’re turning our focus to what lives in, under and around those environments.

Welcome to our practical series of courses designed to develop real entomology skills — from practical field collection & survey techniques to bench insect curation & identification.

And here’s the big news:

In summer 2026 we will launch a complete, bookable suite of entomology field courses, workshops and digital learning resources — available online & in group class & field visits beginning in summer 2026.

This is a structured pathway into insect study and invertebrate ecology, built on sound technique, correct terminology and practical competence.

What our programmes are about

This is not casual bug-hunting. It is a structured, skills-based field of entomology training pathway focused on:

• Observation

• Accurate identification

• Ethical field collection

• Specimen preparation

• Microscopy identification

• Recording field & bench data and its conservation relevance

Try → Learn → Process → Build

We will cover:

• Terrestrial invertebrates

• Freshwater invertebrates

• Foundational ecological principles

• Conservation context and recording schemes

Whether you are starting from zero or looking to formalise self-taught experience, this programme will give you the foundations you need.

Who This Is For

Our courses are designed for:

• Complete beginners with curiosity

• Amateur naturalists wanting structured training

• Outdoor professionals expanding ecological competence

• Sea kayakers interested in coastal biodiversity

• Citizen Scientists and biological recorders

• Anyone serious about developing field credibility

No prior experience required — just attention to detail and respect for the organisms we study.

From field collection to confident microscope specimen identification, our courses give you the practical skills to move from curiosity to competence. This is clearly structured, ethical, real-world entomology training designed to build knowledge you can trust.

Our programme will take you from “I don’t know where to begin” to a confident, methodical field practitioner.

1. Choosing and Using Equipment

We will cover:

• Hand lenses (10x–20x) and field magnification

• Sweep nets and beating trays

• Pooters (aspirators)

• Pitfall trapping principles

• Aquatic kick sampling nets

• White trays for freshwater sorting

• Forceps, micro-spatulas and soft brushes

• Collection tubes and ethanol preservation

• Killing jars (ethical and legal considerations)

• Storage boxes and unit trays

• Entry-level and intermediate stereo microscopes

• Lighting systems (LED ring lights, fibre optic)

You’ll learn what is essential — and what is unnecessary.

2. Field Collection Techniques (Ethical & Legal)

Responsible Fieldwork is central to our approach.

We will teach:

• Sweep netting in grassland and scrub

• Beating shrubs and low tree canopy

• Leaf litter sampling

• Turning stones (terrestrial and intertidal)

• Pitfall & malaise trapping methodology

• Kick sampling in freshwater habitats

• Habitat stratification and microhabitat targeting

• Recording environmental context

• Non-destructive observation methods

• Wildlife legislation and protected species awareness

We emphasise minimal impact and conservation-minded practice.

3. Specimen Handling & Preservation

Accurate identification often requires careful Specimen Preparation.

You will learn:

• Temporary storage methods

• Ethanol preservation (70–95% guidance)

• Relaxing chambers

• Dry preservation techniques

• Labelling standards (date, grid reference, habitat, collector)

• Data integrity and traceability

Good labelling is as important as good identification.

Stop guessing at what you’ve found and start identifying with clarity and precision. Our 2026 programmes deliver hands-on fieldcraft, specimen preparation, and laboratory techniques that turn observations into meaningful records.

4. Introduction to Microscopy

Laboratory Work transforms field finds into knowledge.

You will develop skills in:

• Setting up and calibrating a stereo microscope

• Using transmitted and reflected light

• Understanding magnification ranges

• Manipulating small specimens safely

• Recognising diagnostic morphological features

• Using dichotomous keys

• Understanding family-level characteristics

• Basic insect anatomy and terminology

Confidence under the microscope is a game-changer.

5. Pinning & Mounting Techniques

For building Reference Collections, we will introduce:

• Direct pinning of larger insects

• Double mounting using card points

• Micro-pinning for small specimens

• Setting boards (for Lepidoptera)

• Proper label placement and formatting

• Collection storage systems

• Integrated pest prevention

We teach museum-standard principles at an appropriate level.

6. Identification Pathways

You will learn how to:

• Identify to Order confidently

• Recognise key Families

• Use standard keys effectively

• Avoid common misidentification errors

• Understand when species-level ID is realistic

• Recognise when specialist input is required

We emphasise intellectual honesty in identification.

7. Recording & Conservation Context

Entomology matters because biodiversity matters.

Our courses introduce:

• Biological recording principles

• Grid references and mapping

• Habitat association recording

• Invasive species awareness

• Red List categories (overview)

• Importance of invertebrates in ecosystem function

• Working with local recording groups

• Citizen science contribution pathways

Your observations will have real conservation value.

Terrestrial, Freshwater & Coastal Coverage

Our events will cover diverse habitats, including:

• Grassland and meadow systems

• Woodland edge and canopy layers

• Wetland margins

• Streams and ponds (freshwater macroinvertebrates)

• Beaches above the high water (strand) line

• Salt marsh and estuarine transition zones

This coastal-naturalist perspective reflects our heritage and location.

If you care about biodiversity, conservation, and understanding the natural world properly, this is your starting point. Our courses equip you with the tools, techniques, and confidence to study terrestrial, freshwater and coastal invertebrates with authority.

How Events Will Be Structured

Launching in summer 2026, our first course will be in July 2026 onwards.

The Entomology Skills Pathway

• 1-day introductory workshops

• 2–3 day immersive field & lab courses

• Online Digital Resources 

• The NOMAD Entomology Club 

• Seasonal Habitat/Species-focused events

• Themed taxonomic workshops (e.g., beetles, aquatic insects)

• Structured beginner pathways

• Intermediate-level skill development events

An entire programme of training courses, field events and digital resources for all enthusiastic naturalists and amateur entomologists. All bookable securely online.

Digital Resources & Ongoing Learning

Alongside in-person events, we will release:

• Downloadable field guides

• Equipment buying guides

• Identification flowcharts

• Microscopy setup tutorials

• Specimen preparation demonstrations

• Recorded lectures

• Habitat overview modules

• Recommended reading lists

• Ethical fieldwork guidance

This will be a blended learning system — not just a workshop series.

Why We’re Doing This

Because:

• Invertebrates are under-recorded.

• Skills are being lost.

• People want practical natural history training.

• Conservation needs competent observers.

• Curiosity deserves structure.

NOMAD Outdoor Learning brings fieldcraft & bench skills to natural history.

The Big Announcement

Summer 2026:

• A complete suite of entomology events will open for booking online.

• Digital learning content will launch alongside live courses.

• Structured beginner-to-intermediate pathways will be available.

• Equipment guidance and resource packs will be downloadable.

• Event dates for 2026 have been published.

This is the beginning of a serious, long-term programme with NOMAD Outdoor Learning

Join the Journey

If you have ever:

• Turned over a stone and wondered what you were looking at

• Wanted to use a microscope confidently

• Felt unsure how to start collecting ethically

• Wanted to contribute properly to biological recording

• Wanted structured guidance instead of random YouTube advice

The NOMAD Outdoor Learning training programme is for you.

Stay Updated

Register your interest. Join the mailing list. Be the first to access launch events.

NOMAD Outdoor Learning is growing. And we’d like you to grow with it.

Botanical Skills for Entomologists

Understanding the Insect–Plant Connection

Many insects depend on specific plants for food, shelter, breeding sites, and protection. 

Recording the plant associated with an insect is often just as important as identifying the insect itself.

As part of our field courses, we introduce a simple and practical approach to botanical recording that supports accurate insect identification, ecological understanding, and specimen curation.

This is not a botany course. Instead, it provides the essential plant-recording skills every field entomologist should possess.

1. Identifying the Plant

When an insect is found, the first step is to identify the plant it is associated with.

Using modern smartphone identification apps, students learn how to:

• Record the plant on which an insect is found

• Verify plant identifications in the field

• Recognise the importance of host plant associations

• Build a more complete ecological record

Understanding the relationship between insects and plants often provides valuable clues about an insect's identity, behaviour, and habitat requirements.

2. Taking a Plant Sample Responsibly

Where appropriate and permitted, students learn how to collect a small plant sample safely and responsibly.

This includes:

• Selecting suitable material for later examination

• Avoiding unnecessary damage to plants and habitats

• Understanding legal and ethical considerations

• Following good field practice at all times

Minimal-impact sampling is a key principle of professional biological recording.

3. Transporting Samples for Later Study

Plant material can deteriorate quickly if handled incorrectly.

Students learn simple methods for:

• Protecting samples during transport

• Preventing damage or contamination

• Keeping specimens organised

• Preparing material for later bench-based examination

Good handling ensures that valuable information is not lost before the sample reaches the laboratory or workspace.

4. Recording and Curating Field Data

A specimen without data has very limited scientific value.

Students learn how to create clear field records that link plant samples directly to insect specimens, including:

• Date and location

• Habitat information

• Plant identification

• Collector details

• Associated insect records

These notes create a permanent connection between the insect, the plant, and the habitat in which they were found.

A More Complete Understanding of Nature

By recording both insects and the plants they depend upon, students develop a deeper understanding of ecology and species interactions.

Rather than simply identifying insects, you will learn how to document the relationships that shape their lives and the habitats they occupy.

This integrated approach is a fundamental part of modern field entomology and ecological recording.

High-quality, hands-on Entomology Training that combines structured field collection, laboratory microscopy, specimen preparation and conservation context is surprisingly rare in the UK. NOMAD Outdoor Learning fills this gap — delivering rigorous, practical natural history training for people who want to do things properly, ethically and confidently.

If you are serious about developing real competence — not just interest — now is the time to act. Register for our ‘Event Update’ emails and be first to hear of Discounts and Offers, and when new digital resources go live.

Places will be limited. Standards are high. The opportunity to build genuine field skills like this does not come often.

Join us. Stay informed. Be ready.

The next chapter of your natural history journey starts here.