This distinctive & attractive hoverfly Leucozona lucorum was seen visiting Ramsons flowers at BBOWT's Whitecross Green Wood on the Bucks/Oxfordshire border. Check out the hoverflies in our NEW #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @bbowt.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social
Good to see our Photographic Guide to Flies of Britain & Ireland #BestFlyBook is already proving useful
Drifts of Ramsons in woodland is unmistakable but look closer & you might spot a male Ramsons Hoverfly Portevinia maculata (top right) basking on a leaf the female (bottom) is often hidden amongst the plants where she lays her eggs
@worcswt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social bit.ly/4dqOI8Z
A few Pasqueflowers (Pulsatilla vulgaris) were in flower deep in the Downs nr Blewbury in Oxfordshire. This pair were flowering on a steep slope just outside a fenced patch
@bbowt.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
To bee or not to bee - these 2 hoverflies are brilliant bee mimics - Left: Cheilosia chrysocoma mimics Tawny Mining Bee. Right: Criorhina floccosa mimics Common Carder Bee
@bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
@flygirlnhm.bsky.social - see our #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
The stunning male Microtendipes pedellus, a non-biting midge in the Chironomidae, can be seen in damp areas like this one on wild garlic in woodland along the Evenlode in West Oxon - See our #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @bbowt.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Out on a lunchbreak walk today at BBOWT's Bowdown Woods, nr Newbury – the Bluebells, Wood Anemones and Lesser Celandines were looking gorgeous in the sunshine
@bbowt.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
The male Silver Colonel is a stunning soldierfly of fens & marshes, this one seen at Rack Marsh nr Newbury, but you need to get the angle just right to capture its silvery abdomen. Look for it April-June #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social
Over 1300 fly species are featured in our #BestFlyBook – the new Guide to Flies of Britain & Ireland, the most complete guide ever published. Order your copy here bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @rdimond.bsky.social
The delightful little green flowers of Moschatel (Adoxa moscatellina) are starting to flower in our woodlands. Its many other names include Town-hall-clock, but look out for it on Good Friday as it's also known as Good Friday Plant
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social
Often seen in gardens, this Common Stripeback hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) was attracted to the Marsh-marigolds in full flower in our garden pond @bbowt.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Find out more about flies in our new #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
Signs of Spring - my first sighting of a male Epistrophe eligans Spring Smoothtail hoverfly yesterday. Love its gold-tinted look.
@bbowt.bsky.social @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social - Find out what other flies to look out for now in our NEW #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
Nice to see a Dotted Bee-fly (Bombylius discolor) visiting primroses in our Oxford garden at the weekend. A few fresh Dark-edged Bee-flies (Bombylius major) were also seen
@bbowt.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
#BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
Cheilosia pagana, a small black hoverfly, is one of our earliest hoverflies to be seen, flying from March-October. The female is identified by its large orange antennae. #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social
At last spring is really here - saw my first Slow Worm of the year yesterday basking in the sunshine at
BBOWT's Decoy Heath, nr Aldermaston @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social
This beauty was spotted at BBOWT's Decoy Heath – a Green Parasite Fly Gymnocheta viridis. Males often bask on tree trunks @bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @stevenfalk.bsky.social See our #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
Not always what they seem - Criorhina ranunculi a bumblebee mimic hoverfly & Conops vesicularis a hornet mimic robberfly - seen in March in Berkshire. Find out more in our NEW guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z
@bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social
Lots of male Hairy-footed Flower Bees were out in our garden visiting a miniature cherry in the short spell of sunshine at the weekend. Very few other insects were seen though.
@bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
Gonia picea (Dark Broadface) is one of the first Tachinid flies to appear in spring - this one spotted in March on the Malvern Hills. Our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland features over 1200 species bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @georgemcgavin.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
2 male Bibio lanigerus (Lesser Variable Bibio) on Gorse at Greenham Common, nr Newbury. Bibionids are difficult to ID but our new #FliesofBritainandIreland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z helps to sort them out @bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social
Tachina lurida (Dingy Tachina), one of our earliest Parasite Flies to emerge in March & found in woodland features in our new #FliesofBritainandIreland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z this one spotted in Bernwood Forest on the Bucks/Oxon border
@bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Spring has sprung - my first Wood Anemone of the year and a male Early Nomad Bee (Nomana leucophthalma. Both seen yesterday at BBOWT's Bowdown Woods, nr Newbury @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
We are laying out The Fenland Flora by Owen Mountford & Jon Graham - this landmark 1600-page 2-volume set is due for publication this Autumn. Pre-publication offer will start late Spring @bsbibotany.bsky.social @plantlifeuk.bsky.social
Watch this space for updates on progress
Blossoms are starting to appear now it's nearly March - time to spot your first Dark-edged Bee-fly. Find out more about bee-flies in our new #FliesofBritainandIreland - out now!!! bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @georgemcgavin.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
We share our conversation with Steven Falk about @naturebureau.bsky.social's A Photographic Guide to Flies of Britain & Ireland. Read the interview: www.nhbs.com/blog/author-...
We've been busy mailing out copies of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIrelend (some have renamed it 'The Flyble') to all those who pre-ordered it & more will be mailed out in the next few days @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
THE WAIT IS OVER - We're busy mailing out copies of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland to all those who pre-ordered. Order your copy here bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social
Our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland HAS JUST ARRIVED AT OUR OFFICE – We're now starting to mail out copies to all those who pre-ordered the book @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
Just 3 days left to get your hands on a copy of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland at the pre-pub price bit.ly/4dqQI8Z – delivery expected to us by 21 Feb 2026 @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
Just a few days left to get your copy of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland at the pre-pub price – offer on til 14 Feb bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @britentsoc.bsky.social