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Wooly-tailed Marsh Fly on a yellow crucifer

Wooly-tailed Marsh Fly on a yellow crucifer

A furry hoverfly on a yellow crucifer

A furry hoverfly on a yellow crucifer

A couple of hours at #RSPBhamwall produced some good birds and several hoverfly year ticks. Wooly-tailed Marsh Fly ( Helophilus hybridus) and Furry Drone Fly (Eristalis intricaria) amongst them. Year list hits the mid 30s

5 hours ago 2 0 0 0
A very small, rare hoverfly in a tube

A very small, rare hoverfly in a tube

The picture's a bit blurry but this is Britain's 4th confirmed Sphegina limbipennis (Devon Pufftail ). I didn't know when I caught it on Saturday but I happened to be on a Devon Fly Group outing with the finders of the first two. Being vastly more experienced than me they recognised it immediately

1 day ago 4 1 0 0
A hoverfly resting on a leaf

A hoverfly resting on a leaf

It's not often I managed a photo that shows the pattern through the wings. This Long-winged Duskyface (Melanostoma scalare) was a real exception.

1 day ago 1 0 0 0
Worn Large Tortoiseshell

Worn Large Tortoiseshell

Worn underwing of Large Tortoiseshell

Worn underwing of Large Tortoiseshell

Thrilled to find my first Large Tortoiseshell in the UK today (Somerset) @savebutterflies.bsky.social #SomersetButterflies #inverts

2 days ago 67 5 0 0
Snouted hoverfly posed on a leaf

Snouted hoverfly posed on a leaf

Sawfly mimicking hoverfly facing downwards

Sawfly mimicking hoverfly facing downwards

Blacklet hoverfly on a Buttercup

Blacklet hoverfly on a Buttercup

A day at Lower woods produced several new Hoverflies for my year list. Here are Orange Snout (Rhingia rostrata) , Orange-belted Leaf walker, (Xylota segnis) and a Blacklet on a Buttercup

2 days ago 2 0 0 0
A batman hoverfly facing left on a leaf

A batman hoverfly facing left on a leaf

A great few hours with the Devon Fly group. Lots of checking to do but this Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) posed for my phone

4 days ago 2 0 0 0

Several in Feb and early March in Bristol region but none since

6 days ago 1 0 1 0
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I'm talking about "Saving Our Insects", this Sunday, Clevedon, Somerset, last few tickets available!

1 week ago 14 7 0 0
Early Spider Orchid

Early Spider Orchid

A Bluethroat male on a path

A Bluethroat male on a path

Bluethroat flying towards the camera

Bluethroat flying towards the camera

A planned two day visit to Poole for hoverflies was spoilt by steady rain today. So I went and watched a Bluethroat and saw some Early Spider Orchids that were near to my accommodation

1 week ago 1 0 0 0
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Must be a big local arrival today. 2 at Dowlais plus one in the Gordano Valley whilst doing a butterfly transect this afternoon. All singing males. Lots at Sand Point too apparently

2 weeks ago 4 1 0 0
A slender hoverfly in flight

A slender hoverfly in flight

My second Common Dainty Hoverfly (Baccha elongata) of the week, was at Watercress Farm this afternoon. The first I have ever managed to photograph in the field though.

2 weeks ago 3 0 0 0
A Ramsons Hoverfly on it's foodplant

A Ramsons Hoverfly on it's foodplant

An afternoon spent at Priors Wood in a successful search for Ramsons Hoverfly (Portevinia maculata). I saw up to 20 with a supporting cast of small dark hoverflies that were probably Duskyfaces ( Melanostoma sp) and Sedgesitters ( Platycheirus sp )

2 weeks ago 3 0 0 0
A Eurasian Drone Fly on a flower head

A Eurasian Drone Fly on a flower head

My first local Eurasian Drone Fly ( Eristalis abustorum) of this year in the one patch of sheltered Alexander's on the roadside. Shared with 4 other Drone Flies

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0
A hoverfly mostly face on in sunshine

A hoverfly mostly face on in sunshine

The same hoverfly on a Vinca flower

The same hoverfly on a Vinca flower

Long-winged Duskyface (Melanostoma scalare) in the garden now. My 11th species of hoverfly for the year

3 weeks ago 2 0 0 0
A hoverfly on a blue flower

A hoverfly on a blue flower

Lovely to see a few hoverflies in the garden today. This is one of the Aphideaters (Eupeodes sp)

3 weeks ago 9 1 0 0

Looks good for pertinax with the yellow front feet

3 weeks ago 1 0 1 0
A Firecrest looking at me from a low branch

A Firecrest looking at me from a low branch

No luck in a local wood where I hoped to find an exotic spring hoverfly. I was surprised to hear at least 3 Firecrests singing in a two hour walk though and managed a photo of one

1 month ago 8 0 0 0
A ladybird

A ladybird

The English names of ladybirds are a mystery to me, as are the scientific ones quite often. This is the 14 Spot Ladybird which I found during a fly hunt this morning

1 month ago 5 0 0 0
A dotted Beefly which paused briefly on a leaf

A dotted Beefly which paused briefly on a leaf

I think it's 10 years since I last saw dotted Beefly rather than dark-edged. This one was at Hestercombe gardens this afternoon @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

1 month ago 24 4 1 1
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A hoverfly facing away on a white flowerhead

A hoverfly facing away on a white flowerhead

A less than cooperative Eristalis abustorum at Hestercombe gardens today became my 10th Hoverfly species of the year. Only 90 left for my target !

1 month ago 2 0 0 0
Tiger Marsh hoverfly on a leaf

Tiger Marsh hoverfly on a leaf

Greater Spring Blackett on a white background

Greater Spring Blackett on a white background

Greater Spring Blacklet

Greater Spring Blacklet

A proper sunny day and the first Marsh Tiger hoverfly ( Helophilus pendulus) of the year in my garden. Also a new species for me: Greater Spring Blacklet (Cheilosia grossa) in the Gordano Valley

1 month ago 1 0 0 0
A dark hoverfly on a leaf

A dark hoverfly on a leaf

According to Obsidentify this is a White-footed Sedgesitter (Platycheirus albimanus) by the path at Portbury Wharf. I wouldn't be so bold as the tarsi are not really in focus. Phone pic in the 5 mins the sun appeared today

1 month ago 1 1 0 0

And elegans. Will try harder with these scientific names !

1 month ago 0 0 0 0

Autocorrect !!! Epistrophe, of course #dipteristsforum

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
Spring Smoothtail hoverfly on a leaf

Spring Smoothtail hoverfly on a leaf

Male Hoverfly on a leaf

Male Hoverfly on a leaf

Spring Smoothtail (Epistrophy elegans) in the garden. A sure sign that spring is imminent.
Given the weather I was delighted to see it and even more to photograph it.

1 month ago 3 1 2 0
A Sepsid fly on a yellow leaf

A Sepsid fly on a yellow leaf

Having got the new fly book I couldn't resist photographing this Sepsid fly so in the only 10 minutes spell of sunshine we had today #diptera

1 month ago 2 0 0 0
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An excellent morning with the Devon Fly Group at their indoor meeting. Topics ranging from potential flies of Atlantic Rain Forest in UK to key entomologists in the history of Dolichopodidae. Great group who get so much done! #localgroups @guyshrubsole.bsky.social @teamdiptera.bsky.social

1 month ago 19 5 1 0
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A Grass Snake appearing from loose rocks behind metal bridge sections

A Grass Snake appearing from loose rocks behind metal bridge sections

Always an iconic sign of spring when the #RSPBHamWall Grass Snakes first appear.

1 month ago 2 1 0 0

Welcome. A very sensible move

1 month ago 2 0 0 0
Spotted Thintail (Meliscaeva auricollis)

Spotted Thintail (Meliscaeva auricollis)

One from today that I managed to quieten for a photo

1 month ago 1 1 0 0