British Entomological and Natural History society

The Society was founded in 1872 as the South London Entomological and Natural History Society and since its inception has always included amongst its members many of the leading entomologists of the day. Over the years the membership of the Society has increased to include not only residents of the London area but entomologists living all over the British Isles and abroad. The objectives of the Society are the promotion and advancement of research in entomology with an increasing emphasis now being placed on the conservation of the fauna and flora of the United Kingdom and the protection of wildlife throughout the world. Under the U.K. Biodiversity Action Plan the Society is the lead partner in the Heathland Flies Project investigating the ecology of three species of diptera. The Dipterists Forum; the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society; and the British Myriapod and Isopod Group are affiliated. The Society has a variety of activities. Indoor Meetings are held at various locations and include lectures and discussions on a wide range of natural history subjects. Field Meetings are usually held during weekends from late April to October. The meetings cover a wide range of habitats across the country and include visits to sites where records are needed for site management purposes. The Society’s Journal is published four times a year. It includes papers and notes from both members and non-members, and regularly publishes colour plates to illustrate them. In addition to The Journal the Society publishes Key Reference Works on British entomology which is available to members at reduced prices. The Society’s insurance policy provides £5m of Public Liability Insurance to individual members, of the Society and its affiliated societies, in respect of their own field work and entomological research providing this is undertaken in the United Kingdom and is not carried out for financial reward. The Society supports field entomology through small grants from the Maitland Emmet BENHS Research Fund and the Hering Memorial Trust Fund.