iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Prof William Ripple @williamripple.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

We invite everyone (nonscientists) to endorse the Declaration of a Planetary Emergency, part of the upcoming World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Third Notice. Add your name and share widely. Endorsement helps show public concern about the future of our planet. forms.gle/vAARd7mv2yS7...

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Chrysoperla lacewings can be really hard to ID. I believe this one from last night is Chrysoperla pallida. In the third photo the abdomen tip is compared to Chrysoperla carnea - note the short, sparse, pale hairs on the “lip” of the pallida (left) and the proportionately larger “chin” below it.

Chrysoperla pallida, a green lacewing that looks a lot like most other green lacewings, and especially like Chrysoperla carnea.

A side view of the abdomen of the Chrysoperla pallida. Look at the tip and note how small the “lip” (the small rounded projection about half way up the end) is compared to the “chin” below it. The precise shape of the chin and lip can morph though (on live insects) which can cause confusion when attempting to identify these.

Tips of the abdomens of Chrysoperla pallida (left) and Chrysoperla carnea (right). Look at the hairs on the lip in the middle. Both species have a dense covering of really tiny pale hairs and some longer hairs. On pallida the longer hairs on the lip, if present at all, are pale, sparse and half the length that they are on carnea. On carnea they tend to be black but beware, sometimes they are pale. Most characters that are important for identifying Chrysoperla species seem to be variable which makes confident identification really tricky and it may not always be possible to name every individual.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

One of the highlights from last night’s moth trapping was this lovely Dark Waspgrabber (Leopoldius calceatus), a new fly for me from one of my favourite fly families. Possibly not a coincidence that there was also an Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) in the same trap - I’ve never had one to light before.

Leopoldius calceatus (sometimes known as Dark Waspgrabber although apparently it grabs Ivy Bees not wasps).

A black-and-yellow thick-headed fly (family Conopidae) with broadly dark leading edges to its wings. The yellow stripes across the abdomen are relatively narrow and the yellow on the head is duller than in other Leopoldius species.

#UKDiptera #UKflies

An Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae), a bee with ginger hair on its thorax and broad creamy bands on each of its abdomen segments.

Ivy Bees are apparently parasitised by Leopoldius calceatus so it’s probably no coincidence that both turned up together in the same trap. I don’t think I’ve recorded an Ivy Bee at light before. I had a good look at this one’s abdomen to see if I could see any sign of it having been attacked, but couldn’t see any scars or protruding egg trail.

#UKbees

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A benefit of writing a wildlife column in the parish mag is that people bring me jam jars containing random things. Today it was a “nasty-looking fly” a neighbour found on her back while gardening. It’s the Hippoboscid Ornithomya avicularia (Bird Louse Fly). Looks fine to me, if a bit unbalanced.

A Bird Louse Fly (Ornithomya avicularia), a member of the flat fly family #Hippoboscidae.

It’s a dull green fly with blackish pronotum and reddish eyes. Its right wing is missing (bitten off by itself perhaps? Apparently they do that when on a host bird to make it easier to walk through the feathers.). #UkDiptera

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

James McCallum @jamesrmccallum1.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Extended dates for my Cley Centenary Exhibition. Nice to see the show so well attended, so much so that NWT have extended the finish date to the 12th September

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

Graeme Lyons @graemelyons.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Presenting the Biodiversity Challenge initiative. Are you doing a degree in biology, zoology, marine biology, ecology & conservation or something similar? Then Biodiversity Challenge might be for you. analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2026/08/biod... Artwork by Unorthodox Sketch!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I’ve just been in the garden to put the moth trap out and felt something land in my hair. I came indoors and this fell out - Brachycarenus tigrinus, a new bug for me. It first appeared in the UK in 2003 but judging from iRecord it’s now been recorded across much of England, esp. SE & East Anglia.

Brachycarenus tigrinus, a buff-and-black Rhopalid bug

#UKInverts

The same bug with its largely transparent wings partially lifted giving a clearer view of the blackish abdomen which has a buff edge and some buff spots.

#UKbugs #Hemiptera

The same big photographed through the microscope from the side. In this view you can see how the wing cells are mostly clear and membranous, with the veins being spotted black and pale buff.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

If you’re in mid Norfolk and fancy some great concerts, we have the fantastic Iceni Consort this Friday, the highly acclaimed Ralph Allwood Singers on Monday and the brilliant Chaos Collective in September. Looking forward to another season of top notch quality music. Links to tickets in article🔽.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

This Tree Damsel Bug (Himacerus apterus) appeared in my bathroom this morning. It’s fully-winged (macropterous) which confused me at first - the macropterous form is said to be rare, though I don’t know exactly how rare. #UKinverts

Tree Damsel Bug on a white background.

A brown bug with red-spotted connexivum(the side of the abdomen). The wings extend to beyond the end of the abdomen which is unusual in this species.

Tree Damsel Bug on a white background.

This photo shows the long antennae better.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

"Psst, hey Toady, I don't suppose you could give me a ride, could you?" "Sure Mr Newt, hop on..." OK, I didn't actually hear this conversation, but I did see a Smooth Newt walk over the top of a Common Toad in my shed this morning, while I was going through my moth trap. #Toad #Newt

A Smooth Newt next to a Common Toad. The newt has its head up to just behind the toad's eye, so it looks like it's whispering in the toad's ear.

The Smooth Newt walking over the back of the Common Toad. It climbed up the side of the toad and walked down its back. It was a very big toad and I guess it just happened to be in its way. The toad didn't move until the newt had got off.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

This Omophron limbatum (sometimes called Spangled Button-beetle) appeared in my garden moth trap last night. Despite looking like a cross between a ladybird and a diving beetle it’s actually a very unusual ground beetle (Carabidae). It’s very active and runs extremely fast! #UKbeetles

A round beetle with dull reddish-brown and black markings. Its pale legs are very long, especially the rear ones.
#UKinverts

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

We had to visit the in-laws in East Kent last week. We stayed at an AirBnB near Ash again where I caught lots of moths I don’t see in Norfolk very often (or at all), including this stunning little Promalactis procerella (Beautiful Silver-mark). #TeamMoth #KentMoths

Dorsal view of Promalactis procerella (Beautiful Silver-mark).

A stunning little bright orange moth with three black-edged shining silvery-white narrow bands across the wings. Dark marks towards the apex reflected blue-purple tones.

Side view of Promalactis procerella (Beautiful Silver-mark).

The long curved palps are orange and the antennae ringed black and white. The legs are also black and white.

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

The White Falcon @markgolley.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Saturday giveaway time! I picked a copy of the (still brilliant) Macmillan Guide to Bird Identification at Cley village fete & like the last time, I want to give this copy to a really keen young birder (18 or under). Drop me a DM - or reply here - & Lynnette will pick a name from a hat. #ukbirding

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

Norfolk Moths (Jim Wheeler CMR) @norfolkmoths.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Moth Species per Hectad in Norfolk map. Fun fact: Norfolk officially covers (or partially covers) 74 Hectads, however moths have only ever been recorded in 70 Hectads. There are 4 unrecorded tiny bits of land on the border! (VC27 and VC28 only, aggregates not included) #norfolkmoths

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

johngolding.bsky.social @johngolding.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Hi John. Just watched almost exactly the same at Holkham yesterday with a hirsuta sand wasp riding a hummingbird hawk moth caterpillar moth caterpillar back to the nest, I guess.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

There's Hollyhock at my village fish & chip shop so I looked for Hollyhock Weevils (Rhopalapion longirostre) while waiting for my order. I found a nice flea beetle and a different weevil. I haven't keyed them yet but I think they're my second Podagrica fuscipes and my first Aspidapion aeneum.

A tiny leaf beetle belonging to a group of beetles known as flea beetles (note the thick hind femora which are used for jumping). It is black and red, the red parts being the head and thorax and the bases of the antennae.

I haven't keyed it out yet but I'm pretty sure it's Podagrica fuscipes which is a distinctive species I've only encountered once before.

#UKbeetles

A small dark Apionid weevil. The legs are black (so not the Hollyhock Weevil I was looking for). It's mostly dull black but the elytra (wing cases) are metallic dark green. There is an elongated central groove in the top of the head.

#weevil #UKinverts

I haven't keyed it out yet but I'm pretty sure it's Aspidapion aeneum which is known to live on Mallows and Hollyhock. A new one for me if I'm right.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

This seems to be quite an unusual #BirdHybrid. Not immediately sure what it is but wondering if it could possibly be Ruddy Shelduck x Blue-winged Goose? Fascinating!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I found several female scorpionflies in Bintree Wood yesterday. All three UK species were suspected in the field based on their wing pattern and thorax colour, and today confirmed by checking their genital plates. Panorpa cognata was only my second record and my first female. #Mecoptera #UKinverts

Panorpa cognata, sometimes known as Scarce Scorpionfly.

Clues to its identity include, in combination, the brown centre to the thorax (usually yellow on the other UK species), dark patch at the tip of the wings not fully extending right to the edge of the wing, dark bar across wing much broader in the outer half of the wing than the inner half, and only small dark spots in the base of the wing. However for certain identification it is really necessary to dissect out the genital plate.

This is by far the scarcest of our three scorpionflies - I have only found two (including this one) compared to 55 communis and 89 germanica.

Panorpa communis, sometimes known as Common Scorpionfly (common indeed but in my experience marginally less so than Panorpa germanica).

Clues to its identity include, in combination, the yellow centre to the thorax (usually brown on cognata but also yellow on germanica), dark patch at the tip of the wings fully extending right to the edge of the wing (but atypically small - it tends to be larger in this species), dark bar extending right across wing (broad at the costa but otherwise the outer half only slightly thicker than the inner half), and only small dark spots in the base of the wing. However for certain identification it is really necessary to dissect out the genital plate.

Panorpa germanica, sometimes known as German Scorpionfly (though probably our commonest scorpionfly in the UK, so not really German).

Clues to its identity include, in combination, the yellow centre to the thorax (usually brown on cognata but also yellow on communis), dark patch at the tip of the wings rather narrow (often larger on communis and more clearly separated from the margin in cognata), and larger dark spots towards the base of the wing compared to typical communis and cognata. However for certain identification it is really necessary to dissect out the genital plate.

Genital plates of all three scorpionflies:

Left: Panorpa communis - note pointed tips to the arms at the top (rounded on cognata, more acute on germanica), short arms compared to the length of the plate (relatively longer on germanica), anterior apodomes at the bottom strongly divergent and bluntly rounded (finer-tipped on cognata and germanica, usually less divergent on germanica).

Centre: Panorpa cognata - note blunt-tipped arms and long narrow-tipped anterior apodomes divergent at tip.

Right: Panorpa germanica - note acutely pointed and relatively long arms and long narrow-tipped and scarcely divergent anterior apodomes.

Although not referred to (but illustrated) in the key, and I’m not sure what the bit of anatomy is called, there seems to be a consistent difference in the fine dark lines running alongside the posterior end of the anterior apodomes - long and sinuous on communis, medium length and evenly arched on cognata and short and straight on germanica.

The genital plates of scorpionflies are subject to quite a bit of individual variation so some care is needed to ensure correct identification, but the differences are generally more reliable than wing-pattern.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Here’s a photo of a Giant Lacewing that’s about a thousand times better than the one I posted yesterday! They really are superb insects!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

This week I’ve been poking around in streams and under bridges in the two areas that Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus) has been recorded in Norfolk. This morning I struck gold at East Carleton. Recorded here in 2022, which was the first in the county since 1963.

A Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus) resting at the top of the vertical side of a bridge over a stream and under a road.

The lacewing has slightly hooked wings with dark spots along the costa and (less obviously in this photo) along the dorsal edge in the basal half. The head is red and the body is mostly dark.

This is a big lacewing, though “Giant” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration.

It was quite a low bridge meaning I had to stoop quite low to reach it. It was quite dark under the bridge and I couldn’t get the camera to focus on it without using the torch of my phone. It was a challenge holding the phone torch in one hand and the camera in the other while bending lower than I was comfortable with and trying to avoid falling in the water or dropping either phone or camera in.

The species was found at East Bilney twice in 1963 and looked for since with no success (though I am not convinced it might not still be present in the area and as it’s local to me I will continue searching). It was then found by sweeping at East Carleton Carrs in 2022 by a visiting dipterist who, not realising the significance of the record in Norfolk, did not take a specimen or any photos. By all accounts the finder was a reliable and experienced entomologist familiar with this species from elsewhere, so I was happy to accept the record on his say-so, but very happy to follow it up with some photographic evidence today.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

This little Cosmopterix scribaiella (Reed Beauty) was a nice surprise in my garden moth trap on Tuesday night. They’re spreading but not many record in Norfolk yet. There are no reed beds in my little garden so presumably it wandered here from somewhere else. #NorfolkMoths #TeamMoth

Cosmopterix scribaiella (Reed Beauty).

A very elongated moth with a red eye and long palps curved up and back. The wings are mostly dark brown but there’s a broad orange band crossing them at about two thirds of the way along. This orange band is bordered both sides by thin bands of shiny silvery-white scales. The orange spoils through the rear silver band (which is characteristic of this species) and continues in a line until it meets a fine white line that carries on to the apex. There are also several fine silvery-white lines through the base of the wings.

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 24/06/2026

++BREAKING++ Leading climate scientists in the UK have written to senior editors in broadcast media - and OFCOM and IPSO: "To express our concern about recent media coverage of extreme weather, climate change and net-zero and to urge you…to inform public audiences of the scientific links"

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

The warming seas are producing some very unusual seabirds in Yorkshire…

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Coleophora siccifoliella (Keeled case-bearer), netted in flight beside a hedgerow in mid Norfolk early one morning recently. If I’ve done my maths right this is the 55th species of Coleophora I’ve recorded as adult. #NorfolkMoths

Coleophora siccifolia, Keeled case-bearer.

A fairly nondescript greyish-brown Coleophora with ringed antennae.

Make genitalia of Coleophora siccifolia, Keeled case-bearer.

Unfortunately with the majority of Coleophora you need to examine the genitalia to be sure which species is involved.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Doing a bird survey in farmland in the middle of Norfolk this morning the last thing I expected to see (especially in mid June) was a Diver sp. flying south at 5am. Probably Red-throated but I didn’t see it quite well enough to be 100% sure. #NorfolkBirds

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

This Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee (Megachile willughbiella) was on the side of my shed at dawn this morning. I’ve not attempted to key many leafcutters before so although this is a common species, it was the first time I’ve identified one. I should do more #bees…

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee on my shed. A buffish bee with narrow pale bands of hairs on the abdomen and an orange pollen brush under the abdomen.

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee, another side view.

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee, dorsal view with wings held to the side.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

This bug was in my garden moth trap on Sat night and I think it's Brachyarthrum limitatum. AI suggested Orthonotus rufifrons but seems to have been trained on a couple of photos purporting to be rufifrons which I believe are actually misidentified limitatum. #Hemiptera @arcanelove.bsky.social

A dark blackish-brown mirid bug with orange legs, orange base to the cuneus and orange base to the wings. It is 4.6mm long. The species is associated with Aspen and there's one of those growing about 50m away.

My ID process was complicated by AI getting it wrong and a couple of photos online (which I suspect the AI had used in its training) which I eventually worked out must also be Brachyarthrum limitatum but are identified and labelled as Orthonotus rufifrons. Although males of the latter are superficially similar, after examining lots of images of both species I think I found a number of differences that seem consistent. These include leg colour, cuneus colour, colour at the base of the wings and perhaps most obviously the colour of the third antennal segment (pale, strongly contrasting with the second on Orthonotus rufifrons and dark, only slightly paler than the second on Brachyarthrum limitatum).

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

BTO Scotland @btoscotland.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

An amazing find in Perthshire- an adult Robin repeatedly feeding a recently-fledged Dipper! Interspecific feeding is recorded from time-to-time, but it's rare and a phenomenal thing to witness first-hand. Huge thanks to James Clements for reporting it. #BirdingScotland

Adult Robin feeding a fledgling Dipper. Perthshire, 3/6/26

Adult Robin feeding a fledgling Dipper. Perthshire, 3/6/26.
Check out the Dipper's nictitating membrane (over the eye)

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

I found these two #sawflies at Bintree Wood in May and have now identified them as Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis (both males) which is apparently new for Norfolk. Thanks to @andymus.bsky.social for confirming.

Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis dorsal view.

Like most Aneugmenus, a predominantly black sawfly with yellow legs.

Basal tergites of the Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis showing microsculpture that is not present on other British Aneugmenus. The head was also more sculptured, the mandibles bent more right-angled and it was a male, which would be unusual for the other species.

The second Aneugmenus fuerstenbergensis dorsal view.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

How is a man meant to work with all this activity going on just outside his window. First Spotted Flycatcher and now this handsome Swallow having a sing-song (and 3 Oystercatchers noisily chasing each other over the houses as I type this). #NorfolkBirding 🪶 youtu.be/RMbooI1qZdo?...

youtu.be

Swallow singing outside my study window

YouTube video by Dave Appleton

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

This hand-held video won’t win any cinematography awards but was just taken using only my phone while I’m sitting at my desk in my study: an unexpected garden tick in the form of a very vocal Spotted Flycatcher right outside my window. Nice start to the day. youtube.com/shorts/De2ah... #NorfolkBirds

youtube.com

A vocal Spotted Flycatcher filmed with iPhone only while sitting at my desk.

YouTube video by Dave Appleton

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Waiting for a train yesterday evening, sitting on the Canalside Green Steps at London's Coal Drop Yard, my wife noticed moths flitting around the ivy at the edge of the steps. I went over and found several pairs of the recent colonist Clepsis dumicolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix). #LondonMoths #TeamMoth

A mating pair of Clepsis dumincolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix) on ivy

One of the Clepsis dumicolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix), a brown moth with a broad wavy dark band across its forewings.

Another Clepsis dumicolana (Banded Ivy Tortrix)

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Last night I think the White Ermines may have been suffering from an inferiority complex. Here is one dwarfed by a Puss Moth and one being quite literally trampled on by a Poplar Hawk-moth. Or may be the hawk-moth was just trying to give it a cuddle? #TeamMoth #NorfolkMoths

Two white moths with black markings: a White Ermine with black spots and Puss Moth with an intricate pattern of black lines. The White Ermine isn’t exactly a small moth but here it’s dwarfed by the much larger Puss Moth.

A Poplar Hawk-moth resting with its wings out. Underneath the hawk-moth is a White Ermine being somewhat squashed by the hawk-moth. The hawk-moth’s legs are either side of abcs on top of the White Ermine.

I assume the hawk-moth settled there by chance, not deliberately attacking (or cuddling) the White Ermine. Either way I don’t suppose the White Ermine was very happy about it.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Highlights from the #TeamMoth trap so far this week: Lime Hawk-moth, only my third here in 11 years, and last night an unexpected addition to the garden list, perhaps carried here from the Brecks on the SW breeze: Thisanotia chrysonuchella (Powdered Grass-moth). #NorfolkMoths

Lime Hawk-moth. This individual is form brunnea with reddish-brown cross-band and orangey-brown tones elsewhere. The more typical form has more olive-green hues with a dark khaki cross-band.

Thisanotia chrysonuchella (Powdered Grass-moth). In Norfolk these are mostly found in the Brecks but there are a handful of records from other locations.

A smallish elongate moth. In some ways similar to Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-moth) with a thick pale line along the length of the forewing splitting into fingers near the apex, and a pair of dark-edged pale fascias crossing the outer half of the wing, but the forewing is more liberally peppered with dark brown and it has distinctive orange scales on the head.

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

John Walters @johnwalterswildife.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

If you are interested in learning to identify the UKs ground beetles there are free guides to download on my website johnwalters.co.uk/publications...

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

The first cockroach I've found in the UK but I don't suppose I'm allowed to tick it... I think it is, or was, Panchlora nivea - Green Banana Cockroach or Cuban Cockroach. It was kindly delivered by Sainsbury's last week but I only noticed it when I went to eat the banana today.

A squashed and dried-out cockroach attached to a banana skin. The wings are damaged and mostly detached from the body. The abdomen is also damaged. The pronotum remains intact. It's about 2cm long and pale yellowish brown which I understand Green Banana Cockroaches are after death (if not before, but they usually look brighter and greener when alive).

My ID is based primarily on Google, so please correct me if I'm wrong...

The same squashed and long (?) dead cockroach turned upside down. One antenna is still present.

I threw away the label that probably said where the bananas had been imported from last week so don't know its country of origin. Given the state of it I suspect it didn't leave there alive.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

I noticed the wind had picked up this afternoon and it looked like I might have a bit of time before the rain arrived, so I went out looking for snakeflies. The other three species continue to elude me but I found my fourth Xanthostigma xanthostigma (and my first male). #Snakefly #UKInverts

Side view of the male Xanthostigma xanthostigma (sometimes called Small Snakefly). The reddish reflections at the rear of the snakefly come from my camera and are not a feature of the snakefly!

Top view of the Xanthostigma xanthostigma.

Close up of the head of the Xanthostigma xanthostigma. After Simon Knott recently brought our attention to differences in the head sculpture between this species and the scarcer Subilla confinis, I thought it would be a good idea to get a good look at this. It's well-punctured but obviously smooth and shiny between the punctures.

I didn't rely on this for the ID though - the hindwing venation was checked.

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

Vanna Bartlett @vannabartlett.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

After months of work my Norfolk Pseudoscorpion guide for @norfolknats.bsky.social is now on the website free to see/download. Covers 20 species recorded in Norfolk so hopefully useful for other areas of UK. norfolknaturalists.org.uk/wp/wp-conten...

Dendrochernes cyrneus, a large pseudoscorpion with robust shiny, blackish claws on a piece of tree bark.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) are on the increase round here but it's not every day that one lets me get as good a look at it as this one did on Friday. #UKMammals

Chinese Water #Deer showing off his tusk

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

Will George @willgeorge.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Decided to try and write something about what bugs to look for through the year - Bedfordshire-centric, but probably fairly applicable across most of central to southern England. Feedback welcome! #Heteroptera sites.google.com/view/bedsbug...

sites.google.com

BedsBugs - A Year in Bugs

January-March

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

James Bullock @jmbecologist.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Releasing a random charismatic species into an area is not rewilding, despite the rhetoric from some Rewilding is about restoring natural processes

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Is there ever a case for introducing/reintroducing a species without the intention of establishing a breeding population in the region of the introduction? If not, surely the context of “ordinarily resident” and “regular visitor” dictates that they refer to resident or migratory *breeding* species?

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I guess not every guest would have been so pleased to find a large woodlouse in the shower, but for me it was one of the highlights of the weekend. Southern Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium depressum) is my first #woodlouse that isn't one of the "famous five" common species. #Isopod

Dorsal view of the Southern Pill Woodlouse.

A large and uniformly blackish woodlouse.

Front view of the Southern Pill Woodlouse. You can see here how the pereon is slightly splayed at the sides.

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