News
Rakali webinar 7:00-8pm Tuesday December 6th, 2022
Please note that Tuesday 29 November session sold out.
Australian Platypus Conservancy is holding a free webinar about Rakali. This session will highlight the biology and conservation needs of rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster) the Australian equivalent of the otter.
Bookings can be made through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rakali-info-session-tickets-471630187587?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=post_publish&utm_content=shortLinkNewEmail
Memorial Service for Hans Wapstra
Sunday December 4th., 2022
Hans Wapstra made a major input to the knowledge of Tasmania’s natural environment. He will be remembered for his enormous contribution to the botany of Tasmania, including his collaboration to write The Orchids of Tasmania and writing with his wife, Annie, and son, Mark, to produce Tasmanian Plant Names Unravelled.
Annie, Mark, and Eric would like to welcome anyone to celebrate the life of Hans Wapstra to come along to a casual afternoon in his favourite bushland reserve to reminisce. It will be held between 2:30 and 4:00 PM on Sunday 4th December at Penrhyn Pond, Peter Murrell Reserve. Access to ample parking is via a gravel road off Huntingfield Avenue, Huntingfield.
Soft drink and nibbles will be provided. There will not be any serving of alcohol. There are no toilet facilities. The event will be very informal. The family may say a few words but after that, if anyone wants to say a few words, please feel free to do so.
This map shows Huntingfield Drive and Penrhyn Pond at Peter Murrell Reserve.
Map of Peter Murell Reserve
Genevieve Gates wins the Australian Natural History Medallion
TFNC life member Genevieve has won the prestigious Australian Natural History Medal medallion. It was awarded for her contribution to ‘Mycology, in Fieldwork, Education and continuing involvement with Citizen Scientists’ . The award ceremony will be held in Melbourne on November 14. In recent years Tasmania has been most successful with Sarah Lloyd winning this same award in 2018 and TFNC member Simon Grove in 2019. Congratulations Genevieve!
Illustrated Checklist of Tasmanian Beetles launched
TFNC members Simon Grove and Lynne Forster, in collaboration with their colleague Nicholas Porch, have published the first in a proposed series of checklists of Tasmanian insects. This checklist is a catalogue of all the described species of Coleoptera (beetles) from Tasmania, including Macquarie Island. The book includes a meticulous up-to-date list of 2,864 species including over 600 endemics and colour plates featuring at least one representative species from almost every family.
The checklist is sold from the TMAG gift shop and through the Royal Society of Tasmania, either from their office (in the TMAG building) or online:
Posted 22 December 2021, updated 11 May 2022
Le Souef Award presentation
At the General Meeting on Thursday 7 April, 2022 members Kristi Ellingsen and Tony Daley were presented with the Victorian Entomological Society’s Le Souëf Memorial Award.
They then gave a lively and informative presentation entitled “Alert not Alarmed - Improving the Public Perception of Insects”.
 |
 |
||
|
Kristi and Tony with the Le Souef Award certificates. Photographs: Keith Martin-Smith |
Kristi gives an animated presentation |
Visit the online Field Guide to the insects of Tasmania: https://tasmanianinsectfieldguide.com
Here is an mp4 of Kristi's Presentation: Alert not Alarmed
Posted 10 April 2022
Els Wakefield Interview
Member Els Wakefield was interviewed on Hobart Print Radio. Hear her talk here:
https://www.printradiotas.org.au/vibes-under-the-sea/episode-35-els-wakefield
Posted 7 April 2022
Congratulations
to TFNC members Kristi Ellingsen and Tony Daley who have won the Entomological Society of Victoria’s Le Souëf Memorial Award.
They have made a major contribution to the knowledge of Tasmania’s insects, and particularly to its public availability. They thoroughly deserve this prestigious award, and the club whole-heartedly congratulates them.
You can find out more about Kristi and Tony and see some of their excellent work on this year’s latest release of their website https://tasmanianinsectfieldguide.com/welcome/about-us/
Posted 20 December 2021
Call for photographs of Dragonflies and Damselflies
Michael Driessen is currently developing a field guide to Tasmanian dragonflies and damselflies.
If you have photos you think may help illustrate it, please forward them to michael.driessen@dpipwe.tas.gov.au. Pictures can be of adults, larvae, metamorphosis or behaviour. If used, you will be contacted and acknowledged in the guide.
Posted 7 September 2021
Informal excursions
In recent times some members of Field Naturalists have been conducting some informal excursions, often mid-week. Don Hird is interested in visiting the Tom Gibson Nature Reserve in the Northern Midlands, not far from the Midland Highway near Epping Forest. The reserve was partly set up as a bettong reserve as they are not adequately represented in the existing reserve system and are now endemic to Tasmania. Don would like anyone interested in joining him to contact him via email. At this stage there is no scheduled date and this can be organised to be convenient for everyone interested. Don’s email is donh1952@gmail.com .
Posted 2 May 2021