Have you ever wanted to know more about preserving plant specimens? Maybe for your own reference, or so you can share plants with experts for identification?
The BSBI is here for you! We have a webinar next week - 28th April, 7pm, completely free!
Book here: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
It's satisfying to see a species you've never heard of posted on here one day, and to find it yourself the next day! #RecordSubmitted
Thanks @jeremybartlett.bsky.social
In the same patch of wood I found both Primrose and Pignut, both of which hadn't been recorded in the hectad (10km square) for over a decade! (That's what the orange 'P' means on the BSBI Recording App). #RecordSubmitted
I went for a very short walk this morning, and found two brand new hectad records!
Portuguese Laurel and Fritillary, both non-native, but it's important to record them appearing in wild places. #RecordSubmitted
Nature-lovers across the globe will come together on 24 April for an international BioBlitz!
Botanical Skills Northern Ireland Project has an event at Carnmoney Hill, Belfast & all you need to join in is a smartphone & the free @inaturalist.bsky.social app!
www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
And if you're already a good botanist but you want to take part or support, then I'm always interested in finding new verifiers to join the team and help us confirm all these new records on iRecord. If so, get in contact!
If you're interested in getting started with plant identification and submitting records, then please sign up!
Register here: bsbi.org/take-part/ac...
And join the group on iRecord here: irecord.org.uk/simple-activ...
And the absolute masterpiece from @bsbiscotland.bsky.social on 'Plants by habitat', or, as he termed it, '60 species in 60 minutes':
youtu.be/7hK4hgugBiI?...
Getting started with plant recording: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6Se...
Getting started with Plant ID: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJGw...
Such as: Plants are fantastic (and why you should try and see 100 plants in 2026)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0WA...
All of this is incredible, and comes from a lot of effort behind the scenes at @bsbibotany.bsky.social (& I'll namecheck our amazing Training Officer Chantal Helm who has done the most to bring this initiative to life).
In particular, the series of beginners webinars is a fantastic new resource.
...such as 3 records of the beautiful alien Martagon Lily, 2 records of the rare native Sand Crocus, 1 record of the minute gem which is Mousetail, and one 1 record of the Welsh-speciality Yellow Whitlowgrass (picture by Catherine Tucker below).
Those 14,772 records represent an amazing 786 different plant species. The most-recorded species so far is Lesser Celandine with 434 records, followed by Red Dead-nettle with 346, Primrose with 294, Daisy with 268, and Wood Anemone with 232.
There are also records of some more unusual species...
So far, an amazing 708 people have started submitting records via the iRecord activity for the challenge. These people have submitted a *staggering* 14,772 plant records, supported by 23,951 photos to make verification more straightforward for the tireless volunteers who verify them.
This year the BSBI launched the 100 Plants in 2026 Challenge - a project encouraging brand new botanists and recorders to identify their first 100 plants this year and to submit the records.
bsbi.org/take-part/ac...
It's been about three months now, so how is it going?
I feel there's a good chance that this might be the first-flowering Honewort, Trinia glauca, seen in Britain this year 🤔
Honewort is monocarpic, meaning that it flowers once in its life and then dies, which adds a slight melancholic air to seeing one in bloom.
It's not often you see two new fish in a day, let alone two new new non-native invasive fish.
Following on the from the Sunbleak netted earlier, I also saw Topmouth Gudgeon, Pseudorasbora parva, a species in the process of being eradicated from Britain.
I love a bit of pond dipping. You never know what you might find.
I was still very surprised to net what appears to be a Sunbleak, Leucaspius delineatus. This species, also known by the great name 'Motherless Minnow', is a non-native in Britain.
I've only seen that a couple of times; a beautiful thing!
Shhh, tiny baby Slow-worm.
Absolutely delighted to see a species new to to me - Wall Whitlowgrass, Drabella muralis. It was growing on the inside slopes of some bowl-shaped earthworks, amongst moss of scattered rocks #RecordSubmitted
Read more about it on Plant Atlas: plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9...
It sounds like your Pet Nettle (great name!) was White Dead-nettle, Lamium album. It's softly hairy and doesn't sting.
There's another one with pink-red flowers called Red Dead-nettle, which is the one in my photo - but this specific one is a weird and beautiful mutant with white flowers!
Tiny, adorable carpet of Rue-leaved Saxifrage. I adore miniature plants.
A white Red Dead-nettle seen today was an unusual treat, and also a great example of why capitalisation of species names is a good aid for clarity in writing.
@graemelyons.bsky.social
I enjoyed the placement of this beautiful clump of Ivy-leaved Toadflax.
This is just over a week away, so if you're interested please do book a ticket and join us 🌿
Some Wall Speedwell (accompanied by a hoard of Firebugs) seen in Thetford today.
I also, by complete chance, bumped into Muscari neglectum today whilst looking for Black Oil Beetles. A pair of dark-purplish stunners.
Breckland Speedwell
Fingered Speedwell
Spring Speedwell
I've seen all of these species before, but today was the first time I saw all them in a single day; what I am calling 'completing the Breckland speedrun'.
Breckland Speedwell, Fingered Speedwell and Spring Speedwell; Veronica praecox, triphyllos, and verna.