Congratulations! Always amazed at your running feats but this is astonishing.

Triungulins of Violet Oil Beetle

Triungulins of Violet Oil Beetle

Violet Oil Beetle Meloe violaceus

Triungulins, larvae of the Violet Oil Beetle on L. Celandine.
3-clawed feet used to attach themselves to female bees, probably mining bees. Once in the bee's nest they will eat the bee's food store and larvae, after pupating they will emerge in spring as Violet Oil Beetles Meloe violaceus (pic 3)

GB hectad distribution map for Argiope bruennichi from the new SRS Atlas

GB hectad distribution map for Erigone welchi from the new SRS Atlas

Our new Atlas of UK spider, harvestmen and pseudoscorpion records is now online at britishspiders.org.uk/atlas. It gives access to 1.6 million records and is constantly updated with data submitted and verified via irecord.org.uk/enter-srs-records.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) female. Newly emerged by garden pond. 11/4/2026 Topsham, Devon.

As they're in the garden I tend to notice (and photograph) the first emerging LR Damsels and they've been getting steadily earlier over at least the last ten years. My 1st in 2016 was on 12 May; my 1st of 2025 was 7 April. Not a rigorous study but I think I can see a pattern. . .

It says a lot about the state of humanity that we didn't all dress up in ape costumes for the return of Artemis II.

Short-necked Oil Beetle Meloe brevicollis on the south Devon coast yesterday - seems to be a good year for them with 4 found during a short search.

I love finding these, spectacular aren't they?

Hazel Leaf-roller Weevil (Apoderus coryli) 6/4/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Gymnocheta viridis a spectacular metallic green Tachinid. 6/4/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Dark Bush-cricket nymph (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) the first of the year for me. 6/4/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Bronze Shieldbug (Troilus luridus). 6/4/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Spent a few hours pottering about the top end of Topsham today; much noise from M5 but a good range of insects in the hedges and scrub.
Names in Alt texts

I can see this being useful although I usually photograph everything and check IDs later.

Keep an eye open now for Agalenatea redii, the Gorse Orb Weaver. Gorse is a good place to find it but it can also be found in other bushes, heather, grass, and on fences etc. Like many others in the family Araneidae, A. redii is variable in appearance, and has several strikingly different forms.

Black Oil Beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus). A female wandering across a gravestone in Topsham Cemetery. 4/4/2026.

Surprised to find this female Black Oil Beetle across the road from us today. First I've ever seen in Topsham, now just need to get one for the garden list.
#coleoptera

BSky I need your help. Suggest scale objects for tiny (1-3mm) insects? £1 coin is too big.

#Insects #Entomology #macrophotography #macro #NaturePhotography

The pencil works for me.

Excellent review of a quite wonderful book.

Palmate Newt (Lissotriton helveticus) male. The dark webbed feet are diagnostic.

Palmate Newt (Lissotriton helveticus) female. Double row of dots on tail: tail much plainer on female Smooth Newt.

Palmate Newt (Lissotriton helveticus) larva/tadpole.

I knew we had newts in our garden pond but always assumed they were the commoner Smooth Newt. I had a closer look today while removing some excess weed and it turns out they're Palmate Newts: not hard to identify once I looked it up.
@arc-trust.bsky.social

Cryptachaea blattea (Theridiidae) found under a window sill at the back of our house. An introduced species though from where is unclear.

A new spider for me (assuming I'm identifying it correctly).
Cryptachaea blattea (Theridiidae).
Back of our house in Topsham, Devon.
I've iRecorded it.
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@tylanberry.bsky.social

Male Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) feeding on Primrose. 18 March 2026 Topsham, Devon.

Mr Bee-fly in the garden: a very typical first date.

Not only that but a 1st winter (hatched/fledged 2025): brown centred tertials and wing coverts.
Never pass up an opportunity to age a gull!

Yes, definitely a female N.goodeniana

I'm also happy to be proved wrong, it's happened before.

See what you mean about the white head and neck shawl but everything else, including structure, says Herring Gull to me.

And a happy birthday to you!

Aglaostigma aucupariae (Tenthredinidae) always my 1st sawfly of the year, dozens out today. 5/3/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Anthophora plumipes (Apidae) Hairy-footed Flower Bee male. 5/3/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Eudasyphora cyanella female (Muscidae). 5/3/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Phaonia subventa female (Muscidae) 5/3/2026 Topsham, Devon.

Like saying hello to old friends; lots of familiar faces out and about today.
Names in Alt texts

Many who were around in the 80s & onwards will be sad to hear that Clive Byers has passed away.

I was lucky to spend time with him as a youngster through mutual friends. Always hilarious & upbeat, & the centre of unlimited wild stories. A talented artist & a genuine one-off.
#norfolkbirding

Sorry to hear that Clive Byers died yesterday. There'll be many who knew Clive a lot better than I did but I considered him a friend. Always fun, always helpful to a fellow illustrator and always happy to provide a floor to crash on.
A great guy I wish I'd known better.

Barnacle Geese in flight at Kalvebod Fælled/Vestamager, Copenhagen, Denmark 2 March 2026.

Barnacle Geese feeding flock at Kalvebod Fælled/Vestamager, Copenhagen, Denmark 2 March 2026.

White-tailed Eagle (2cy?) at Kalvebod Fælled/Vestamager, Copenhagen, Denmark 2 March 2026.

White-tailed Eagle (ad or near ad) at Kalvebod Fælled/Vestamager, Copenhagen, Denmark 2 March 2026.

Our eldest having relocated to Copenhagen a few months back, we thought we'd pay him a visit. Managed to fit in a day of birding at nearby Kalvebod Fælled/Vestamager: 1000's of Barnacle Geese and a couple of WT Eagles were the highlights.

A Photographic Guide to the Flies of Britain & Ireland, Falk, Ashton, Dimond & Creed 2026, photo of front cover.

A Photographic Guide to the Flies of Britain & Ireland, Falk, Ashton, Dimond & Creed 2026, photo of pages 250, 251.

A fantastic piece of work, a superb guide to the marvellous diversity of diptera in these islands.
And I'm very happy to have contributed a couple of photos: see my Colobaea bifasciella on p. 251.
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Looks like a Lasioglossum sp. to me.

Luffia lapidella (Psychidae) on grave stone in Topsham Cemetery 23/2/2026.

A Ramshorn Bagworm grazing the plains of lichen on top of a grave stone; carrying its home/sleeping bag as it goes. Luffia lapidella (Psychidae) caterpillar.
#lepidoptera

Common Wasp queen (Vespula vulgaris) on lichen-covered head stone. 22 Feb 2026 Topsham, Devon.

Common Wasp queen looking none too pleased at having to get up so early. 14C today so time to get moving.
#hymenoptera