Coming 2027

Bark and Ambrosia Beetles

In-person Identification Workshop on North American Genera and Common Non-Native Species

Where: Clemson, South Carolina

​When: 26–29 May 2026

Application Deadline:​ 1 April 2026

General Description

A high diversity of land snails exists in the Appalachian Mountains like no other area in North America. This workshop will introduce the species of the southern Appalachians and explore a little studied area in the upstate South Carolina foothills. Land snails can have very limited ranges and some specific species exist exclusively in this region. We will discuss the morphological characters to distinguish land snail species and try our hand at collecting and identifying the many species including microsnails. You should become familiar with the common genera, as well as many of the species of the Southern Appalachians for a good background in land snail identification.

Instructors

Denise Furr: Schiele Museum of Natural History 

Emily Phifer: Schiele Museum of Natural History 

Organized by:

Michael L. Ferro: Clemson University Arthropod Museum

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Preliminary Schedule*:

Day 0 (25 May): Instructors and Participants arrive, dinner on your own. “Meet and greet” at the lab at 7:00pm.

Day 1 (26 May): General Info.; Land Snail Morphology; Genera Identification; Lab: Basic Macro Snail Morphology and Identification. (breakfast, lunch, dinner provided) 

Day 2 (27 May): Field Day! In the Clemson Experimental Forest; Lab: Prepare dirt; Macro Snail Identification. ​(breakfast, lunch, dinner provided)

Day 3 (28 May): Micro-snails; Examine Dirt Samples (from the day before) and Identification. (breakfast, lunch, dinner at Smokin' Pig BBQ provided)

Day 4 (29 May): Invasives and current research; Half day, leave around 11 am. (breakfast provided)

​*The schedule may change. The lab will be available each evening for late night study!