Activities and Fringe Events around the Conference
Ento26 wouldn’t be complete without its much-loved activities around the conference, where science meets social and the entomological community comes together beyond the lecture theatre.
From early morning energy bursts for those who like to stay active and midday creativity for the artistic among us, to evening quizzes and insect attire for everyone to enjoy, our fringe events offer something for everyone. These activities are designed to spark connection, encourage friendly competition and celebrate the unique spirit of our community.
Get involved in the activities surrounding Ento26
Attending the Conference Dinner – Additional ticket required
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 19:30 – 00:00
Click for details
Join us on Wednesday 9 September for the Ento26 Conference Dinner!
Enjoy an evening with colleagues old and new, at the Parkgate Hotel, a 15-20 minute walk from the main conference venue.
The ticket includes a three-course buffet, welcome drink and entertainment. Other drinks can be purchased on arrival.
Spaces are limited so book now to save disappointment.
Tickets can be added to your registration booking and are priced at £65 per person.
Daily Activities – What’s On
From fashion, photography and film screenings to queer nature, quizzes and museum tours, there really is something for everyone at Ento26.
Attend interactive workshops with entomology experts, learn to draw insects, pitch a research paper to our editors and more – Search through our daily conference activities using the links below.
Monday 7 September
Museum Tour 1 – Pre-booking required
Date: Monday 7 September, 18:30 – 19:00
Location: More information TBC
Pre-Conference Mixer
Date: Monday 7 September, 19:30 – 22:00
Location: The Cosy Club, 1 Hill’s Street, CF10 2LE
Tuesday 8 September
WORKSHOP: Drawing Insects 1 – Pre-booking required
Date: Tuesday 8 September, 13:00 – 14:00
Facilitator: Lizzie Harper, Botanical and Natural History Illustrator
President’s Drinks Reception & New Journal Launch
Date: Tuesday 8 September, 18:00 – 19:00
EntOlympics
Date: Tuesday 8 September, 19:30 – 22:00
Location: Tiny Rebel, 25 Westgate St, CF10 1DD
Our competitive student pub quiz dedicated entirely to entomology. Form a team, test your insect knowledge and compete for glory!
There’s also a prize up for grabs for the winning team.
Searching for Satyrus – Film produced by Matt Fletcher
Date: Tuesday 8 September, 19:30 – 22:00
Location: Chapter Arts Centre, Market Road
Click to read more
Film Synopsis
Set in the mountainous borderlands between the warring nations of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the story follows Rena Effendi, a photographer in pursuit of Satyrus effendi, a rare and critically endangered butterfly named in honor of her father, an enigmatic Soviet entomologist who was absent from her life.
He died in 1991, when Rena was just fourteen, amid war and the collapse of the USSR. Rena retraces his old butterfly-hunting routes through what is now a devastated landscape, deep into a remote Caucasus exclave isolated by decades of conflict. The butterfly is known to appear there only once a year, fluttering high over militarized border that people are forbidden to cross. On this journey of discovery, Rena comes closer to her father, confronting the distance between them and coming to terms with his troubled legacy.
Director: RENA EFFENDI
Producers: RENA EFFENDI, LANA SLEZIC, MATT FLETCHER
Funded by: THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Wednesday 9 September
EntoFashion Day
Date: Wednesday 9 September, all day
Celebrate your finest entomology-inspired clothing and accessories with #EntoFashion. And if we need to encourage you further, there will be a prize awarded for Best Dressed!
Conference Run
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 07:00 – 07:45
Facilitator: Simon Ward
Location: Meet outside Cardiff Castle
Click to read more
If you’re up with the sparrows and enjoy catching the early breeze, why not join a morning run led by RES CEO Simon Ward? It’s a great way to start the day, stretch your legs and chat informally with fellow delegates before sessions begin.
Queering Nature: The Politics of “Eww”
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 08:30 – 09:30
Facilitator: Connor Butler
Click to read more
Join Connor Butler, Entomologist and Environmental Educator in exploring what disgust can teach us about nature, society and ourselves. Using insects and other overlooked creatures as a starting point, we’ll discuss why some bodies, behaviours and species are labelled strange, dirty or unnatural, and how Queer perspectives can help us challenge those assumptions.
Museum Tour 2 – Pre-booking required
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 08:30 – 09:30
Location: More information TBC
WORKSHOP: Drawing Insects 2 – Pre-booking required
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 08:30 – 09:30
Facilitator: Lizzie Harper, Botanical and Natural History Illustrator
WORKSHOPS
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 14:00 – 15:30
Get involved in our workshops prepared by experts – Choose between:
- Create a Digital Field Survey Project using QGIS & Mergin Maps
- Developing an Insect Careers Resource
- The IWRS Husbandry Database
- EDI Grants
Pitch a Paper, Posters & Drinks
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 17:30 – 18:30
Facilitator: RES Publications and Editorial Team
Museum Tour 3 – Pre-booking required
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 18:30 – 19:00
Location: More information TBC
Conference Dinner – Additional ticket required
Date: Wednesday 9 September, 19:30 – 00:00
Location: The Parkgate Hotel, Westgate St, CF10 1DA
Thursday 10 September
Coffee, Connections & Careers
Date: Thursday 10 September, 08:30 – 09:30
An informal early‑career session to bring together researchers at all stages to explore the range of career possibilities within entomology. Ask questions, share experiences and build meaningful connections over coffee. Designated mentors will cover the following topics: building a scientific career, funding and career progression, research skills and professional development, EDI, work and life, career stages, field work, and working with collections.
WORKSHOPS
Date: Thursday 10 September, 08:30 – 09:30
Get involved in our workshops prepared by experts – Choose between:
- What does Insect Welfare look like?
- Drawing Insects 3 – Pre-booking required
Photography Class – How to take better Photos (of Insects): 30 minutes to improve your photography
Date: Thursday 10 September, 08:30 – 09:30
Speaker: Dr Tim Cockerill FRES
Click to read more
In this broad-ranging talk, Tim will share simple, effective ways to improve your insect photography. Drawing on years of experience capturing the natural world, Tim will focus on techniques that apply whether you’re using a smartphone in the field or a full macro setup.
Designed for all levels of skill and experience, this session will cover approaches you can apply immediately, as well as insights into how strong images can enhance scientific communication and public engagement.
Expect plenty of examples, clear advice, and a fresh perspective on how photography can deepen the way we communicate insect natural history and entomological research.
About the facilitator:
Dr Tim Cockerill FRES is an entomologist, broadcaster and photographer.
After a PhD in tropical insect ecology from the University of Cambridge, Tim moved into the world of science and natural history media. Now, alongside being senior lecturer at Falmouth University, Tim works as an entomological consultant for TV and film. He has wrangled rhinoceros beetles with David Attenborough in Borneo, presented the UK’s only genuine flea circus on the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, and brought insect life to new audiences as series consultant for National Geographic/Disney’s multi-award-winning A Real Bug’s Life.
On radio Tim has appeared on The Infinite Monkey Cage and has been the resident zoologist on BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science and on Science in Action for the World Service. His broadcasts have made Pick Of The Week four times on Radio 4.
Tim is also an award-winning photographer and leads the judging panel of the RES’s Insect Week photography competition. His photographic work has recently been admired (though sadly not purchased) by King Charles III in an exhibition at London’s Somerset House.
Museum Tour 4 – Pre-booking required
Date: Thursday 10 September, 13:30 – 14:00
Location: More information TBC
Museum Tour 5 – Pre-booking required
Date: Thursday 10 September, 14:00 – 14:30
Location: More information TBC
Throughout the Conference
EntoFashion
Although the dedicated EntoFashion Day is the Wednesday of Ento26, we actively encourage #EntoFashion to be celebrated for the duration of the conference!
And don’t forget, there will be a prize awarded for Best Dressed!
BugBingo
Where entomological knowledge meets friendly competition!
Grab your BugBingo card from the reception desk and keep your eyes (and ears) sharp – the first full house wins a prize!
EntoDex
For the first time, we’re trialling #EntoDex, a set of 25 limited edition cards, and a labour of love created by the RES staff team especially for Ento26. We hope you enjoy them.
Click to read more
Master our bug hunt by finding all 25 of the limited edition cards belonging to five primary index categories that selected insect species have been divided into:
- Recyclers;
- Synergisers;
- Aquatics;
- Hunters;
- Evolutionaries.
How to play:
- Visit posters, exhibition stands, and communal areas to find cards and unlock new taxa, with a fun fact on each limited edition card.
- Trade cards whilst networking with fellow delegates to help complete your set, or just keep the ones you like best.
- Cards are very limited – please only take one card from each location to give everyone a chance to play.
Disclaimer: The images featured are edited versions of wonderful examples from our Insect Week photography competition and others that feature in RES publications or on our website. These cartoon-style renditions are for entertainment use within the bounds of this conference. All images are credited with their photographer’s name and AI disclaimer. Image editor: Animeify via Canva.
Sign the Book of Obligations (Fellows Only)
Are you a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society? Visit the RES Library stand at Ento26 for a chance to sign your name alongside signatures of notable entomologists, renowned scientists, and royalty, including Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, and Queen Elizabeth II in this historic document signed by Fellows since 1833.
Be a significant part of a living history of our prestigious Society, showcasing its evolution over nearly two centuries.
Ento26 is as much about people as it is about research: These activities create space for connection, laughter and community spirit.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Not a Member or Fellow?
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