Michael has over 30 years of experience of studying Arachnids (Spiders, Harvestmen and Pseudoscorpions), including a period on the council of the British Arachnological Society. An experienced all-round field naturalist, Michael is able to identify a wide range of other terrestrial invertebrates, including Millipedes, Centipedes, Slugs & Snails, Woodlice, and many insect groups (particularly Hemiptera, solitary bees, and Hoverflies). He acted as the primary invertebrate consultant for Gwent Wildlife Trust (GWT) for over 20 years, and was also consulted by the National Museum of Wales (NMW) and the University of Wales hospital.He has carried out formal invertebrate surveys for NMW, the Countryside Council for Wales (surveying for, and subsequently finding the protected Fen Raft Spider Dolomedes plantarius), the National Trust, Wyedean Ecology Ltd, and identified arachnid specimens for Glasgow Kelvingrove Museum. He is familiar with recording practices on protected sites (SSSI, NNR, AoNB, and LNR), and was the arachnid expert for the LBAP process for Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire local authorities. Michael has been active in multiple invertebrate recording schemes, and is currently Area Organiser responsible for arachnid records in Stirlingshire, Lanarkshire and Caithness, and has contributed many new invertebrate records for Wales.
Michael is also an experienced botanist, and since beginning work for Caledonian Conservation has carried out National Vegetation Classification surveys in sites across Scotland. He was lead biodiversity volunteer for the Woodland Trust’s Cefn Isla reserve and nominated for the Bluebell Award for ‘Best Guardian of Woods and Trees’ in 2015. Michael has around 200 hours of experience as an assistant bat recorder for Wyedean Ecology Ltd and BE Ecological Ltd, and has delivered guided walks and talks on bats for CADW, the Welsh Government Historic Environment service.
Michael is a confident public speaker and keen environmental educator, previously working mainly through the Wildlife Trusts, for whom he has been a volunteer for over 25 years and served as a Trustee and member of the Trust Ecological Group. He has organised open days and events both privately and for the general public. Michael has delivered training courses in spider identification for GWT and NMW. He is a member of the British Arachnological Society, The British Bryological Society, the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
