BTS Lectures

Because of the current circumstances

the 19th BTS Lectures are on hold.

Please check for updates on our Facebook page

18th BTS Lectures & Dinner

14th March 2020

“Never seem to have the time to socialise properly at the BTS Exhibition? “

Now’s your chance! If you are interested in attending the BTS Lectures please contact: Kim Pennell Spaces are limited so it’s first come first served. To see what you have missed over the years take a look at the Gallery section of this web site.

Itinerary

Friday March 13th: 7.30 pm, pre lectures evening get-together *dinner, drinks, meet in the hotel bar (* if staying on the 2 night package! ) pre- order your Friday Meal! you will be sent the menu

Saturday March 14th: 12 noon, BTS Lectures

Venue: Upstairs in the The Culbone Suite

Aztec Hotel and Spa, Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol Date: Saturday March 14th 2020

Ticket price: (per person): Lecture and Dinner: £60 (includes online fees and free entry to the BTS Exhibition*)
Lectures only: £30
Dinner only for guests: £30

Registration: 11.00 – 11.30am   Lectures to start: 12 noon  Lectures to finish: 6.30 pm approx   Dinner to start: 7.30 pm approx

Lecturers: All timings to be announced and subject to change. There will be a short break between all talks for coffee and tea etc. While we set up the next guest lecturer

12.00 noon : Official opener lecture Ray and Pete and Mark, followed by

Emma Lawlor (M.Sc.) – Barcoding: a useful tool in taxonomy
Traditionally, morphological features have been used to identify species and other taxonomic levels. Gathering and comparing DNA genomes may be accurate but it is expensive and time consuming. However, the emerging field of barcoding is proving to be very useful in taxonomy: small sequences of DNA can be used to identify species without the need of the full genome. This is cheaper and quicker than havng to analyse the full DNA genome. It can be used to identify cryptic species, and is useful in conservation such as to identify species, to name but a few uses now! In this talk, I will introduce what barcoding is, how it is done, and various ways in which it is used.

Paul Carpenter – Somewhere in the Gulf of Guinea. Two tiny islands the Gulf of Guinea. Hundreds of miles from the mainland. What did we find?

Ray Hale – Crossing the Wallace line – In search Insects and Spiders )
Ray hale is the Vice Chairman of the BTS and has recently of the last few years been lecturing on cruises around Indonesia with SeaTrek… This lecture will introduce you to the amazing flora and fauna of Indonesia officially the Republic of Indonesia, Southeast Asia, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is the world’s largest island country.
Andrew Smith: Poecilotheria – Carter’s Railway Spiders
Just back from his field trip to India filming his latest documentary for Love Tarantulas.

6.30pm: Lectures finish

7.30 pm Dinner followed by

Michael Jacobi
The Tarantulas of the USA with a Focus on the Sky Islands of Arizona and New Species Abstract: For the past three years, Michael Jacobi has lived in the Chiricahua Mountains, the largest Sky Island mountain range and home to a number of theraphosid spider species, including Aphonopelma chiricahua and a new species that he discovered along with arachnologist Dr. Brent E. Hendrixson. Working with Dr. Hendrixson and others, including his colleague and fellow USA tarantula authority Dr. Chris Hamilton, Michael has searched Arizona and adjacent bootheel New Mexico for American tarantulas with a special interest in the Sky Island complexes and new unsampled species that occur in the southwestern USA. This special lecture will feature new information and many photos featuring tarantulas, other arachnids, and other wildlife, with an emphasis on the Theraphosidae of Arizona and its Sky Island mountain ranges.Michael is an honorary member of the British Tarantula Society and former Editor of the Journal (2015-2017) and North American Representative (2007-2017). He first presented at the BTS Lectures in 2007.

Then bar until late (or until you drop).

: MENU: Hot fork buffet and choice of desserts. Vegetarian option available.

If you have any special dietary requirements please inform me at the time of booking.

Staying at the Aztec Hotel & Spa

All the prices and information for 2020 click here

If you would like to bring guests, who do not wish to attend the lectures but would like to join us for dinner we are happy to accommodate them. The hotel will gladly allow the use of their facilities whilst the lectures are in progress. The cost for this would be £30.00 for the dinner only.

Payment details: You will need to book your place by 20th February 2020 and payment must be received no later than 20th Feb 2020.

Book online with the BTS e-store. Cheques must be received by February 1st 2020

You do not have to a member of the BTS to attend. Under 16’s are welcome but must to properly supervised at all times. All dinner and lecture tickets by advance bookings only. Refunds on cancelled places before 31st January will incur a small admin charge. No refunds can be given after 20th February 2020.

NOTE: The selling of tarantulas is strictly forbidden, you may exchange or swap tarantulas. It’s an ideal place to pass on males etc. The use of video equipment during the lectures will be restricted to official use only. Photographs are permitted within reason. Any live tarantulas must not be visible to the public and other hotel guests.

* Free entry to the BTS Exhibition 2020, non transferable non refundable, please wear your wristband to the event or you will be charged on entry. Prices and times are subject to change without prior notice.

Kim Pennell B.T.S. Lectures and Dinner Organiser