BASED in Minchinhampton, Cath Hodsman is a skilled and widely acknowledged British wildlife artist. She is one of the most technically accomplished and accurate Natural-History artists, specialising in entomology – and as such the Natural History Museum, London, sells her work.

Of her passion for insects, Cath says: “I believe that in order to look after the largest things in our ecosystems, you need to look after the smallest things first...insects. They are so fascinating and arguably our most important life forms for guaranteeing a safe future for all of us.”

”They have proved to be so popular with my students and art and wildlife fans that I have decided that 2014 is going to be the year of the microscope! Throughout the year, I am running arts courses and microscopy events, centred on examining the hidden beauty of insects, using microscopes. They are such great tools to educate and enlighten people of worlds that cannot be seen easily, such as insects.

Cath’s first event of the year is a Microscopy Taster Session that she is running in association with the Glos’ branch of Butterfly Conservation, on February 7, from which a large donation of course proceeds will go to Butterfly Conservation.

This unique opportunity to see into the secret and fascinating world of Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) and other invertebrates is taking place on February 7, 9 am to 1 pm

This session is a unique opportunity to see the beauty of Lepidoptera at up to 40x magnification.

This absorbing and enjoyable half-day will give participants the chance to study different types of butterflies and moths, both indigenous and exotic, in a unique way…. Each participant will have the use of a dedicated microscope to study their anatomy. Imagine being able to see butterfly wing scales, body fur or proboscises, in all of their intricate glory.

Using Cath’s large collection of Lepidoptera and other invertebrate specimens, Cath and participants will discuss how butterflies and moths camouflage themselves, how they eat, how they insulate themselves and so on.”

To book a place on the taster session, please phone Cath, on 01453 884359 or email her on cathhodsman@talktalk.net. More details about this Microscopy taster session can also be found on Cath’s website www.cathhodsmanwildlifeartist.com