That can't be right - otherwise there'd be a WildGuides book.

Wood Speedwell

Bluebells - lots of Bluebells (and an Orange Tip)

Lesser Celendine

Ramsons

A selection from Long Wood, West London, for #WildFlowerHour .

Garlic Mustard (with Helophilus pendulus). FitsHerbert Walk, by the River Brent.

Honesty. FitsHerbert Walk, by the River Brent.

Hoary Cress in Warren Farm.

Not sure, but there's loads of it around by the River Brent.

Some #CabbageFamily plants from the Brent River Park in West London.

#WildFlowerHour @brentriverpark.bsky.social

Two so far this year in West London: 14/03/26 & 06/04/26.

Great Britain is between Accrington and Clitheroe - according to google maps

Those wanting to understand the difference between GB and UK might find this helpful.

Parasyrphus punctulatus hoverfly (21/03/26, near Long Wood in West London).

My list is a lot smaller than yours so finding lifers is a bit easier. P. punctulatis was one of the first hovers I saw this year. A lifer for me too.

Councils use it because they are pretty strapped for cash. However, the money any council saves would be much less than the (financial) costs of NHS treatment for one patient with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which glyphosate has been linked with.

Forget birdwatching, I’m into moth-watching: they’re fascinating and misunderstood insects | Helen Pilcher According to new research, distinguishing between the UK’s 2,500 species could halt cognitive decline – so my brain could not be happier, or healthier, says science writer Helen Pilcher

On a related note...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Montage of six mostly little black job hoverflies.

Today's new hoverflies for 2026. Two Cheilosia, three Bacchini and a male Syrphus that didn't seem to have fluffy eyes.

Lesser Celendines with a Cheilosia sp of hoverfly enjoying some nectar. Photo from Long Wood in Ealing, yesterday.

It is a little-known fact, but this week's #wildflowerhour theme of #storyplants was probably chosen because Lesser Celendines are in full bloom.

Montage of Cheilosia variabilis, Platycheirus ambiguus (probably), Parasyrphus punctulatus, Helophilus pendulus and an Eristalis sp.

More new hoverflies for 2026 in the Brent River Park in Ealing today.
#hoverflies

Was happy to have finally captured the furry eyes of S. torvus, and to get even a crap photo of the Criorhina ranunculi.

Dark-edged Bee-fly on Blackthorn.

Montage of six hoverflies.

Montage of three Eristalis hoverflies.

I didn't realize there was a #BeeFlyWatch hashtag. Better add my first Dark-edged from Ealing in West London on Saturday (14/03/26). Had my first hovers of the year on Saturday too.

Chiffchaff and Ash flowers

Ash flowers with Chiffchaff for scale (Brent River Park, West London).
#wildflowerhour

Blackthorn and Syrphus torvus

Blackthorn and Eristalis intricaria

Blackthorn and Andrena sp.

Ground Ivy

#WhiteFlowers (Blackthorn) hijacked by insects and Ground Ivy, all from around Long Wood in the @brentriverpark.bsky.social

#wildflowerhour

Small brown skylark with streaked feathers perched among dry grass and twigs in a natural setting. Text reads © Vaughn Matthews

A huge win for London’s wildlife! 🎉🌿

This week, Warren Farm in Southall was officially declared a statutory Local Nature Reserve. Meaning 61 acres of precious urban wild space are now legally protected.

Thanks to collective action, Warren Farm is now safe for wildlife and people!

We'll probably end up with pictures of a pheasant, a sea otter, a four-toed hedgehog and a herdwick sheep on the 5, 10, 20 and 50 notes.

TOGETHER, WE DID IT! WarrenFarmNR is now officially declared a statutory Local Nature Reserve! — Warren Farm Nature Reserve The blog post that we dreamed of one day writing has landed! We are thrilled to announce that thanks to the incredible amount of support you have shown our Rewilded Grassland and Wildflower Meadow, al...

For anyone interested, Katie, who led the campaign, has managed to get out a blog post between all her BBC appearances.
www.warrenfarmnaturereserve.co.uk/blog/togethe...

They were "singing" (if that's what it's called) close to Warren Farm in Ealing on Sunday.

I'd guess a mixture of both, although I'm not sure if temperature or day length (light) influences flowering time. Maybe all the lights from buildings, cars etc caused it.

Southall park confirmed as local nature reserve by council Warren Farm in Southall is already home to nesting skylarks, wildflowers, butterflies and bees.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Blackthorn (I think). Trumper's Field 08/03/26

Blackthorn (I think). River Brent 08/03/26.

Hogweed. River Brent 08/03/26.

Sweet Violet. Trumper's Field 08/03/26.

#SignsofSpring in the Brent River Park in West London.

#WildFlowerHour @brentriverpark.bsky.social

The bits of the report that we are allowed to see are grim reading, but the full unredacted report has worse news.

Is there anyone in the party who could work on fixing all the misconnected sewers that spew into the rivers?

A rubbish brown blur that is supposed to be a Cetti's Warbler.

A bit like this one?

The book by Ball & Morris is probably better for that.

It's not even the first time that the Duke of York has been shut up.

...and it involves little glass bottles with "poison" written on them.

www.buglife.org.uk/bugs/bug-dir...

If cut in two, you end up with two flatworms.