Entomology Courses

kennyw

I am wondering does anybody know anywhere in Ireland that do courses on Entomology.?

I would be intrested in learning about the aquatic life and insects in the lakes/rivers/streams in ireland.

I have been fly fishing for a few years and its only this year I have fully understood the true value of understanding the life of certain insects etc..

It would be great to get an online course or any type of course relating to it.

Any help would be great.

Thanks.

rtc

I don't know of any courses available but if you come across any let me know.What I would suggest what you do is buy 'matching the hatch'by pat o reilly.Another book of the same name by Peter lapsley&Cyril bennett is a pocket guide so you can bring it with you when you go fishing.I bought these last week and found them very informative.The next step for me will be to venture down to the river with a net and collect a few samples(stone turning etc),bring them home and study them more closely.Up to now my river fishing has been based on size and colour of fly that is on the water and then choose an appropriate pattern but i feel that isn't enough.I want to learn more about the behaviour of the insects that I'm trying to imitate.I do catch my fair share of fish but a better understanding of fly life can only be beneficial.I hope this is of some help!

kennyw

Thanks for the heads up on the names of the 2 books.. Il be on to amazon over the weekend now, and like you, i will be getting into understanding what is happening on the river..

Its always handy to have an insight into the stuff that we would not normally pay any attention too. Life cycles, different stages of the hatch and understanding whats for the trouts dinner on certain times of the day/year.. Great idea on the studyin off the samples.. Let me know how you get on.!


Cheers again for the heads up on the books..

tight lines

slowburner

Another great book is Dick Harris's 'An Angler's Entomology'.

From recollection, I think Sligo RTC might have a diploma course on aquatic ecology.

rtc

kennyw wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up on the names of the 2 books.. Il be on to amazon over the weekend now, and like you, i will be getting into understanding what is happening on the river..

Its always handy to have an insight into the stuff that we would not normally pay any attention too. Life cycles, different stages of the hatch and understanding whats for the trouts dinner on certain times of the day/year.. Great idea on the studyin off the samples.. Let me know how you get on.!


Cheers again for the heads up on the books..

tight lines

you are more than welcome!

b.w.ollie

there was a course in Sligo I saw but it was a full time 2 year course for fisheries managment. also an 'Anglers entomology'(J.R Harris) has been out of print for years. Pity ,because it was written about Ireland by one of the Best Entomologists in Europe who was Irish and an angler too. 3 books I would suggest are in print: John Goddard's ''Waterside Guide'' (great photos) . ''Matching the Hatch'' by Pat O'Reilly, and ''The Fly Fisherman's Entomological Pattern Book''(John Cawthorne). I've seen all for sale in Angling shops.Another suggestion is ''Collin's Freshwater Life'' by Malcolm.Greenhalgh and Denys Ovenden. (this was suggested to me by an Entomologist and is good because it is not an angling book,though one of the authors is ) I still have a copy of ''Trout flies for Irish Waters'' by Dr Micheal Kennedy, Inland fisheries Trust. which I think can be down loaded from the Fisheries board site (some one might have more info on it) its free, unlike mine which cost me two shillings and sixpence (2/6d) ,at this point i will drone on bout livin in car board box in middle of road...................

slowburner

b.w.ollie wrote: »

there was a course in Sligo I saw but it was a full time 2 year course for fisheries managment. also an 'Anglers entomology'(J.R Harris) has been out of print for years. Pity ,because it was written about Ireland by one of the Best Entomologists in Europe who was Irish and an angler too. 3 books I would suggest are in print: John Goddard's ''Waterside Guide'' (great photos) . ''Matching the Hatch'' by Pat O'Reilly, and ''The Fly Fisherman's Entomological Pattern Book''(John Cawthorne). I've seen all for sale in Angling shops.Another suggestion is ''Collin's Freshwater Life'' by Malcolm.Greenhalgh and Denys Ovenden. (this was suggested to me by an Entomologist and is good because it is not an angling book,though one of the authors is ) I still have a copy of ''Trout flies for Irish Waters'' by Dr Micheal Kennedy, Inland fisheries Trust. which I think can be down loaded from the Fisheries board site (some one might have more info on it) its free, unlike mine which cost me two shillings and sixpence (2/6d) ,at this point i will drone on bout livin in car board box in middle of road...................

.......and walking to school barefoot I have that pamphlet by Kennedy too (somewhere). It's a great little book.
Dick Harris's book was reprinted sometime after the first edition - pretty sure you'd dig up a copy on Amazon.

rtc

slowburner wrote: »

.......and walking to school barefoot I have that pamphlet by Kennedy too (somewhere). It's a great little book.
Dick Harris's book was reprinted sometime after the first edition - pretty sure you'd dig up a copy on Amazon.

And every day after getting home from school my father used to murder us in cold blood!

b.w.ollie

slowburner wrote: »

.......and walking to school barefoot I have that pamphlet by Kennedy too (somewhere). It's a great little book.
Dick Harris's book was reprinted sometime after the first edition - pretty sure you'd dig up a copy on Amazon.

I think you will be lucky to get ''An Angler's Entomology'' . I remember the last reprint' it was re-issued with the ''Collins new naturalist'' series. I bought a copy for a friend and when I returned to get another the next day they were all gone, the Bookshop owner told me that lads were coming in and buying two and three copies of it! yet ignoring the rest of the series! and that was some years ago (work'in down mine for 24 hour'a'day) There is an angling book seller (in Wales I think) called Coch y Bondhu books. he is worth a look and he has second hand books too,

ironbluedun

an anglers entomology is a good book, only problem is it tends to concentrate on Ephemeroptera and largely ignores the others. a lot of modern books on the subject copy Harris text and they copy his mistakes as well.

allquestions

You should ring Sligo IT and ask about it, I know people that have done specific modules from courses and there is one module out of the fisheries management or water pollution courses that deals with freshwater ecology... it might be worth asking the question at least.

bluezulu49

Hi Guys. Not sure if this will help but I saw this in the Irish Times last month in Derek Evans' column:

* Professor Ken Whelan will hold a Water Craft Course on Feb 11th and 12th from 10am-4pm at the Southern County Fishing Resort, near Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.
The course is ideal for anglers and club members who wish to learn about life in Ireland’s freshwater rivers and lakes and how to use the river insects to assess water quality.
Rain gear, warm waterproof clothing and rubber boots are essential and accommodation can be arranged locally, if required. Class size is limited to 20. The cost is €175 and includes a soup and sandwich lunch each day.
Southern County has 10 acres of lakes and is little more than one hour from Dublin. To book, contact 087-8373032, southerncounty.ie or ken.whelan@hotmail.com.

Tight lines.