Class Information

S09 Getting to know Insects, Nature's 6-legged Wonders

This class is face-to-face.

Tutor: Colleen Foelz
Getting to know nature's 6-legged wonders
This is a basic course for the insect curious about "the little things that run the earth". It is essentially the same as the 2025 version but will focus less on insect identifications and use of technology. We will examine how insects are classified and identified and you'll be given the online and hard copy tools you need to follow this up independently. The course includes one week which will be a largely self-guided exploration of the Queensland Museum insect exhibits. By knowing generally what type of insect you are looking at, you can better understand how it lives and its role in nature.
Venue: 232 Adelaide St
Tuesday 1.00pm - 2.30pm. 5 weeks. last class 2 June. Classes start 5 May, finish 2 June.
Cost: $25 (prepaid), 5 weeks
Current Enrolments: 13  (maximum 16)

You'll be encouraged to think about the familiar but mysterious insects in your own backyard and what they are actually doing there. We will examine the startling insect diversity and the complexity of their life histories. Although mostly focussed on commonly encountered insects there will also be examples of the unfamiliar and bizarre.
Overall insects get a lot of bad press and yet without them the planet's ecosystems would collapse. Together we will look at this mismatch and how to reframe the way we perceive these 6-legged critters.
Just like other wildlife, insects face many threats in our rapidly changing world. What can be done to better look after their future at local and global scales.
5 weeks (including museum excursion)
Dates Term 2 weeks 3-7:
5 May to 2 June

About the Tutor:

Colleen holds a BSc (ecology and zoology), BA (Geography) and a DipEd from the University of Queensland. She taught high school biology and science and later English as a Foreign Language. Colleen worked for over 20 years as an academic science editor and in science communication. An interest in insect macro photography and conservation lead to numerous field trips in Queensland and beyond including Borneo. In her current casual position in the Discovery Centre at the Queensland Museum she engages the public with insects and their identification.