The Red List (Vulnerable) scavenger water beetle Hydrochus brevis still present at this heathland pond in the Vale of York, where it's been known since 1949. This species occurs widely as a subfossil in late-glacial to early medieval deposits but is now confined to a small number of ancient fens.
I was in an ancient woodland yesterday (White Posts Wood, Essex, TQ5682) when I found the Hazel Leaf-roller Apoderus coryli and Dendroxena quadrimaculata. Nice beetles I haven't seen in ages.
Overhead view of a hoverfly resting with wings open on a sunlit leaf. This small, black hoverfly has 3 pairs of yellow triangular markings on its abdomen.
I was delighted to find a Meligramma trianguliferum (Triangle-spotted Roundtail) along the River Tone in Taunton today, only my second ever sighting of this fairly scarce hoverfly. Fortunately, it tends to rest with wings spread, greatly aiding ease of identification.
#bugsky
#hoverflies
Yes, that's right. With unbroken yellow bands.
Worn Large Tortoiseshell
Worn underwing of Large Tortoiseshell
Thrilled to find my first Large Tortoiseshell in the UK today (Somerset) @savebutterflies.bsky.social #SomersetButterflies #inverts
Those yellow-striped Tenthredo are very confusing. Those two are supposed to lack dark blotches on the forewings, but yours has these.
2 Large Red Damselflies, Fenns Moss NNR. They're the only Odonata out at the moment. White-faced Darters and Four-spotted Chasers will be out in a few more days.
My trick with things like this is to secure the specimen for a closer look after taking a photo. Usually they stay put long enough to net or pot. Then you can check diagnostic features at your leisure, or if it's really puzzling you have the option of taking it home for a more detailed examination.
This shows the characteristic yellow hind tibia of Andrena tibialis very clearly. Found in small numbers on some Tunbridge Wells including Calverley Grounds & the Common.
I get them regularly in Tunbridge Wells but never in numbers. We also have the related A bimaculata with dark hind tibiae and red markings on the abdomen.
Yes, that looks right. A nice find!
Exciting day today in the garden. Found this beautiful female Ashy mining bee (Andrena cineraria) resting on a rock near some sandy bare ground in the mini meadow.
- Staffordshire, 19/04/2026
@lisawilliams30.bsky.social
Duke of Burgundy flying at Butser Hill - Hants today
Been seeing some really interesting egg-laying behaviour from female Rannoch Brindled Beauties away from the usual fenceposts in the last few days. So far seen eggs laid in cracks in crustose lichen, other lichens, sphagnum and Cross-leaved Heath! #teammoth
Lovely to see Brown-banded Carder back on the allotment, examining the compost heap and nectaring on Red Dead-nettle
My 1st Pine Beauty to the garden trap 😍 Southam, Warwickshire #TeamMoth
Seems likely but it's hard without a clear view of the abdomen. Platycheirus is a difficult genus.
When you go to a microscopy club meet and come home with a pet slime mould.
i also finally got to see Schistostega pennata, whose protonema reflects light so it ”glows” in the dark (extremely hard to take pictures of though…)
Yes, that's right. Most garden blues will be Holly Blue as Common Blue likes open meadows.
Groundhoppers are the forgotten members of the grasshopper & cricket order. They're easily overlooked but both of these species can be found on Tunbridge Wells sites like our Commons and RSPB Broadwater.
Sadly long gone from Kent and England but still has a stronghold in Scotland
Top view of two moths side by side, a smaller pale orange moth which is around 18mm long and a grey/brown Rain moth which is at least 4-5x larger
How big is a Western Rain Moth… really big!
As a demonstration, here’s a Western Rain Moth (Abantiades hydrographus) sitting next to a more standard sized moth, a Pseudanapaea denotata which was around 18mm in length 📏
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #inaturalist
A male Nomad bee (N. flava/panzeri) taking a break from looking for females. Another good year for Nomads here with many around the garden. They are cleptoparasites of mining bees (and have wonderful eyes!).
They're easily missed because unlike most hoverflies they fly in shady spots - you rarely see them in direct sunlight.
In Tunbridge Wells they're winter-active, but I've not seen any since January.
We did it! A missing piece of Upton Heath in Dorset has been saved from mineral extraction and secured as an important ecological corridor within the Upton Heath SSSI. Sand Lizards, Smooth Snakes, Dartford Warblers, invertebrates et al have a brighter future. Thanks to everyone who chipped in!
Back in Norfolk despite house problems. Amongst Mail was a pheromone lure I ordered ages ago for Emperor moth. Gave it a go and had two males after about ten mins. Never seen one before.
A couple of nice finds recently. The nymph of the Reedmace Bug Chilacis typhae, from Rainham Village, Essex, and the intermediate annulata form of the 2-Spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata, from RSPB Rainham Marshes.
Very pleased to find another Honeysuckle Sawfly in the garden. Impressive and burnished gold. We have lots of Honeysuckle and it's another great plant for wildlife.