The workshop started with a superb recorded introduction by Dr Andy Chandler-Grevatt from Brighton University, who is our academic partner on this project. In future sessions, we will be using the scanning electron microscope to observe these organisms at high magnification and resolution. But on Wednesday, we assessed several different methods of sampling organisms from moss, judging our success by observations using light microscopes.

The hunt for microorganisms was loads of fun. The students didn't find any tardigrades, but we saw lots of unicellular organisms, amoeba, rotifers, nematode worms and the organism in the photograph, which we think is a mite. Isla, an Ignite student, managed to isolate this little guy using a pipette, a very skilled manoeuvre requiring superb hand-eye coordination.

We look forward to using the preliminary work which we have carried out to hit the ground running with the next Moss Safari on the Scanning Electron Microscope!