Forty years in nature conservation giving unparalleled experience and expertise in wildlife surveying.
First class entomological surveys, river, wetland, mossland ecology surveys. All forms of botanical and habitat surveying and evaluation, including e.g. waxcap grasslands. Amphibian, reptiles, mammal and bird surveys. Management advice. Proving ethical services to local government, government departments, wildlife charities, major construction projects, large consultancies as hired in expertise, farmers, equestrian, householders, community groups.
Dave Bentley Entomology and Ecology Services
TERRESTRIAL ENTOMOLOGY SURVEYS
Sweep netting, targeted netting, pan traps, pitfall traps, vacuum sampling, hand searching - providing a more thorough taxa list than most other surveyors, and evaluating the individual taxa on a national and admin county basis plus providing the habitat requirements in detail and in general for practical management.
Services we provide
FRESHWATER SURVEYS
River invertebrate surveys using kick sampling and hand search. Evaluation using BMWP and RICT and taxa evaluation.
Aquatic invertebrate surveys including Lesser Silver Water Beetle, Crayfish and Mud Snail.
Amphibian presence absence and population surveys costing less than DNA sampling. In season GCN located in seconds if present.
Water Vole and Otter Surveys.
Aquatic botany surveys.
BOTANY SURVEYS
Identifying and evaluating all higher plants including grasses and many mosses and liverworts.
Habitat Surveys.
Evaluation for Section 41 Priority Habitats using Natural England's PHI Evidence Requirements.
Waxcap CHEGD surveys.
Alien / invasive species surveys.
Full species lists with DAFOR provided.
Veteran Tree surveys.
ANIMAL SURVEYS
Mammal surveys, including tracks and signs and small mammal trapping.
Badger surveys.
Otter surveys.
Water Vole surveys
Bird surveys and evaluation.
Amphibian and Reptile surveys.
Invertebrate surveys.
Section 41 Priority Species.
MANAGEMENT ADVICE
Hydrological assessments made.
Clerk of Works duties.
Wetland design.
Planting schemes which are locally native and exclude invasive or problematic native species.
Alien invasive species control.
Waymarking and countryside access work.
Signage.
EXPERT WITNESS
Proofs of Evidence, rebuttals for site defence, planning appraisals, local plan and spatial framework appraisals, appearance at Public Inquiries and Examinations.
Many ecological consultancies and development consultancies leave significant holes and serious errors in their work which can be highlighted.
Historic Landscape Assessments included in our work.
Hydrological assessments made.