Thanks Stephen - that’s a useful collection!

Certainly not lacewings. They look like some kind of parasitic wasp to me.

It’s making me a bit concerned about a couple of birds I’ve called mixed-singing Willow Warblers… sounded really very similar to this. Mind you, if I remember rightly they both looked like Willow Warblers too…

Not at all what I would expect an Iberian Chiffchaff to sound like. If it is one then I I’ve found a few in mid Norfolk in the last few years… @mulbartonbirder.bsky.social

Can’t believe I put an apostrophe in its - how embarrassing! I blame autocorrect…

I had one yesterday in mid Norfolk which was a nice and unexpected surprise. I’ll submit the record to the CR in due course. bsky.app/profile/appl...

Marsh Tit on a branch. Still common round here, but for how long?

Crane walking through shallow water. An uncommon visitor to the local area and for one to hang around for more than a couple of days is truly exceptional. I don't think I've ever had better views of a Common Crane anywhere.

Green Hairstreak - fabulous green butterfly on a Dandelion flower. We haven't recorded them at this location before, but it is only about 250m away from a site where they are known to occur (or at least used to be).

Light Orange Underwing feeding on willow catkins. This was one of quite a good number of orange underwing sp. moths that were seen in flight at different parts of the wood. I only managed to net one to confirm it was Light Orange Underwing (and then releasing it), and later realised I'd also captured the feathered antennae of this one proving it also to be Light Orange Underwing. I suspect the others were too, but Orange Underwing is also reported to occur here so it's possible that both species were involved.

Some snaps from the the local area over the last few days: Marsh Tit still common round here, a Crane that's been here since February, Green Hairstreak at a new site for the species yesterday and Light Orange Underwing at it's only known current Norfolk site. #NorfolkBirds #NorfolkMoths

Also - and probably more appropriately - called moth flies (Psychodidae). Very tricky to identify even if you have a specimen under the microscope. Usually quite a bit smaller than nettle-taps but maybe some are bigger?

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.

I tend to record every Grey Wagtail I see or hear but have never tended to do so with Pied unless it’s a complete count or otherwise significant/interesting record. When noting a Grey Wagtail earlier this week it occurred to me that I haven’t seen many Pied recently - maybe even fewer than Grey?

A new set of some 600 grasshopper recordings from southern Europe, shared by Julien Barataud. Below an example Eugryllodes escalerae, xeno-canto.org/1095289

Interesting thread about a strong contender for the surprisingly scarce Herring Gull x Great Black-backed Gull #BirdHybrid…

I’ve just watched 'My Garden of a Thousand Bees' filmed in Bristol by Martin Dohrn and available on BBC iPlayer. Absolutely mind-blowing and quite possibly the best wildlife documentary I’ve ever watched.

Nature's Fieldbook Notes and photos to help identifications out in the field.

I built a thing for me and thought it might be useful for others. It's a set of guides, 20 at the moment, to help with my rubbish memory when doing ids in the field.

Everything is cached on your device so works in low signal areas.

naturesfieldbook.com

#BirdHybrid

The cover of a guide called Psyllids of Norfolk, with a central picture of Psylla alni, a green psyllid, on a green leaf. The NNNS logo is in the top right corner.

I have updated the @norfolknats.bsky.social species guide to Norfolk Psyllids, which is available to download from the NNNS website here: norfolknaturalists.org.uk/wp/wp-conten... It now covers 60 species (about 3/5 of the British list) so is hopefully of use even for those outside of Norfolk.

A subtle intersex Teal from Draper hide at Rye Meads the last few days. Female type bill, mixed head pattern, male breast and coarse variegated barred flanks, yellow undertail without black surround.

Is that a Cacopsylla it’s eyeing up?

…in the meantime. Even then they often volunteer for charities until they’re allowed to work, though being constantly moved around doesn’t make make that easy.

…I can only assume you’re listening to the right wing and not actual immigrants. I’ve met lots and every one has been keen to work and contribute to our society and economy. Often they haven’t been allowed to because Govt has deliberately delayed processing them and forbidden them to work…

Immigration doesn’t increase population, it moves it. There are more than enough empty houses. Pollution comes from the way we live, not how many live - just look at how little pollution comes from heavily populated African countries for example. As for migrants being jobless and on benefits…

…less of a problem, plus it also benefits those of us who want to spend time living overseas. Of course if you are inclined to believe the scare-mongering lies spouted by the right wing you won’t see that. I don’t always agree with Zack either btw but no regrets for voting Green last time.

If he was quoted as you said then it would be up to whoever quoted him to remove it, not him. I suspect he never said it and it was made up by the right wing.

As for open borders, when you understand that immigration is beneficial, economically, culturally, socially and ethically, it becomes…

Quoted where? Do you have a link? I can’t find anything at all that even claims he’s ever advocated that, though plenty of evidence that he doesn’t do anything of the sort.
A shame all the far right parties are clearly (usually overtly) anti-environment - must be hard for you to know how to vote.

Where did you get the idea that Greens would impose 100% inheritance tax from? I’ve never seen or heard anything to suggest that.
I’ve not come across these far-righters (plenty of them round here) who care about biodiversity but if they exist I guess they just have to figure out what matters most.

A relatively quiet morning at Waxham, with the exception of a side-by-side view of the Glaucous and Iceland Gulls off Waxham Sands Campsite. A single White Wagtail was also of note on the campsite turf.

I still remember those lime-green lores!

Apolygus - simplified Apolygus is a tricky genus, but the impact of a new paper (if widely accepted) on that British list is that Apolygus lucorum and Apolygu...

Apolygus - simplified
Apolygus is a tricky genus, but the impact of a new paper (if widely accepted) simplifies things. As a confirmed taxonomic lumper, I approve! - ajcarthropoda.blogspot.com/2026/03/apol...
#Bugs #Hemiptera #VC55 #Miridae

Hylastes ater, a relatively common species I believe. An elongated dark #beetle with mahogany-toned wing cases.

I think this is Polygraphus poligraphus, the Small Spruce Bark Beetle. If I’m right and the record is accepted then it looks like it will only be the second for Norfolk. A tiny dark beetle with paler legs and antennae.

At 4.3mm this is one of the larger bark beetles I’ve found, and keys to Hyelinus crenatus once I place it in the tribe Hylesinini. It actually seemed to key to a different tribe but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t look like anything in that tribe. A relatively chunky bark beetle, mostly black.

Another tiny bark beetle, Pityogenes trepanatus. A black beetle with pale antennae and legs. The apex of the wing cases has a distinctively furrowed centre bordered by a pair of ridges each with three prominent teeth. #UKinverts

The last group of beetles, finishing my 2+ year-long project of working through my outstanding specimens and reviewing my old records, is the bark beetles, Scolytinae. Often difficult to ID but if I haven’t made any mistakes then some relatively unusual ones among them. IDs in ALT text. #UKBeetles

Brachypera zoilus, a brown broad-nosed weevil.

Apparent Hypera venusta - I’ve had a couple of beetles that seem to be this species though one or two characters haven’t fitted the key perfectly.

Rhinocyllus conicus, a furry mottled buff and fuscous #beetle with straight antennae (not elbowed after a long scape as they are in many #weevils).

Magdalis carbonaria, a black weevil with a long rostrum and parallel-sided wing cases. #UKInverts

Here are some more weevils: from subfamily Hyperinae, Brachypera zoilus and what seems to be Hypera venusta, and from subfamilies Lixinae and Mesoptiliinae, the lovely Rhinocyllus conicus and Magdalis carbonaria. #UKBeetles