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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

Ah, I thought my TG7 had died but I just managed to resurrect it and got some much better photos of the Leopoldius. I only wish I’d bought the black-cased model as the red from the camera’s case reflects onto the subject when using flash.

A much clearer photo of the Leopoldius calceatus (Dark Wasp-grabber), dorsal view wings typically held out to the side.

Side on view of the Leopoldius calceatus (Dark Wasp-grabber).

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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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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 · 12/08/2026

Hmm, it’s not Nabis ferus is it? Here are both species, a ferus that I get to light from time to time and a capsiformis that I caught at Porthgwarra in 2014 (the first British record!).

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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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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

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

Enjoy them while they last... if my garden is anything to go by they're on their way out, sadly (unless there just happened to be some really good years when I first moved here, but I don't think the wider data supports that). At least Black Rustics are doing well. And Oak Rustics apparently.

Graph showing annual number of records and individuals of Dot Moth in my mid Norfolk garden from 2015 to 2025.
Figures are:
2015 - 13 records (27 individuals)
2016 - 21 records (28 individuals)
2017 - 2 records (3 individuals)
2018 - 13 records (14 individuals)
2019 - 1 record (1 individual)
2020- 1 record (1 individual)
2021 - 0 records (0 individuals)
2022 - 4 records (4 individuals)
2023 - 1 record (1 individual)
2024 - 2 records (2 individuals)
2025 - 2 records (2 individuals)

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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 · 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

Thanks Andy - front margin of the pronotum is *slightly* paler but the tip of the scutellum isn’t at all. Do you have both volumes of Niedringhaus, Stöckmann & Wachmann? Looks like it might be £200 well spent 😮

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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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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 · 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 · 23/05/2026

These were both rosaceana - one had a hint of pink along the front half of the costa + on the head but the other didn't have a single pink scale. Not saying yours isn't rufana - just that I think if it isn't fresh, textbook and in an area rufana is known to occur, gen det may be necessary...

Celypa rosaecolana - a confirmed male (gen det). This individual appeared to lack any pink tones but on close inspection did have a few pink scales along the costa and on the head.

Celypa rosaecolana - a confirmed male (gen det). This individual completely lacked any pink scales.

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

Scarce everywhere the last couple of years I think. Hopefully just a temporary blip though I fear it may be evidence of a steady decline. I averaged 8 per year here 2015-19 but only 3 per year here 2021-25.

Graph showing numbers of Scalloped Hazels recorded in my mid Norfolk garden from 2015 to 2025:

2015 - 7 individuals (5 records)
2016 - 8 individuals (8 records)
2017 - 9 individuals (7 records)
2018 - 7 individuals (5 records)
2019 - 9 individuals (6 records)
2020 - 5 individuals (4 records)
2021 - 3 individuals (3 records)
2022 - 9 individuals (7 records)
2023 - 2 individuals (2 records)
2024 - 1 individual
2025 - none

Trapping more-or-less every night every year.

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

I spent the weekend in Kent visiting in-laws, mostly involving sorting out junk and trips to the tip, but also taking in some moth trapping at the place we were staying near Ash. Highlights were this Cryptic Fern and a (wet) Pinion-spotted Pug, both new for me. #TeamMoth #KentMoths

A male Cryptic Fern on the side of the moth trap. The lack of a discal spot and the clear dark line at the apex of the forewings provided a strong clue that this would be Cryptic Fern not just a Fern, and dissection of the genitalia confirmed this.

Another view of the male Cryptic Fern.

The 'normal' Fern remains one of the most common and widespread moths that I haven't yet found. I didn't expect to see Cryptic Fern first.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Sweeping birch under oak this morning provided two new insects: the Nationally Scarce Pammene splendidulana (Shining Oak Tortrix) & the commoner Anaspis fasciata. Later 4 Wood Sandpipers with the local Crane #NorfolkBirding. Green Hairstreak & Pammene rhediella (Fruitlet Mining Tortrix) there too.

Shining Oak Tortrix (Pammene splendidulana), side view.

A small grey-brown moth covered in pale vermiculations, stronger towards the apex of the wing. Through these are a number of curved fascia that appear grey in the photo but are reflective and silvery in life. There is a large black discal spot and two smaller black subterminal spots.

#NorfolkMoths

Shining Oak Tortrix (Pammene splendidulana), dorsal view.

This species has a white diamond-shaped dorsal blotch which appears quite prominent in some photos of the species, but on this individual this blotch is quite indistinct.

#TeamMoth

Anaspis fasciata.

A black beetle with four large orangey-red blotches on its wing cases. The base of the antennae are the same colour.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

I think my personal highlight from today's @norfolknats.bsky.social walk at Wendling Beck was finding this Green-socks Peacock (Elaphrus riparius). It was my first peacock beetle and I found it in exactly the spot (the muddy edge of a pond) that I've looked for them previously but without success.

Green-socks Peacock, a ground beetle that likes bare muddy banks.

Here, in a photo taken with a normal camera, the beetle strikingly patterned but not very brightly coloured. The 'peacock' spots on the wing cases are evident but the beetle appears bronzy brown in colour.

#UKBeetles

In this photo taken under the microscope the beetle looks much more colourful. The strong top lighting really brings out the metallic green colour that covers most of the beetle except the lilac-grey peacock spots with pale surrounds. The tibia are reddish brown but the tarsi have the same metallic green that's on the body and femora - it's the green tarsi that give it it's vernacular name Green-socks Peacock.

#UKInverts

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

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

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.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

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

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

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

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

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

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

I’m rather partial to the metallic green weevils in this subfamily too, from the genera Phyllobius, Pachyrhinus and Polydrusus. I’ve not always found them easy to ID though and I had to correct a few of my older records, but I think I’m getting the hang of it now. Names of these in ALT text.

Phyllobius argentatus (Silver-green Leaf Weevil) on Bluebell

#UKInverts

Phyllobius virideaeris in side view

#UKBeetles

Pachyrhinus lethierryi, another beautiful green #weevil

Polydrusus formosus - again a shiny green #beetle

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

The weevil subfamily Entiminae has taken me a while to go through. Some of them are delightful chunky dumplings of beetles, like these: Barynotus moerens, Attactagenus plumbeus, Otiorhynchus rugosostriatus and Graptus triguttatus.

Barynotus moerens, a chunky brown weevil that seems to be quite scarce.

Attactagenus plumbeus, another chunky brown weevil that seems to be quite scarce

Otiorhynchus rugosostriatus, or Rough Strawberry-root Weevil, a black weevil.

Graptus triguttatus, a brown weevil with distinctive dark-bordered pale marks on its wing cases.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

This Euophryum confine is the only member of the weevil subfamily Cossoninae that I’ve identified so far. Strange little things. #UKinverts #UKbeetles

Euophryum confines: a long narrow beetle with a longish rostrum and elbowed antennae. It is dark brown with blackish foreparts.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

I’m less of a fan of subfamily Ceutorhynchinae. Here are Rhinoncus pericarpius, what seems to be Ceutorhynchus alliariae and Trichosirocalus troglodytes. Also a Limnobaris t-album from subfamily Baridinae.

Rhinoncus pericarpius, a small brown weevil with a prominent pale patch at the base of the sutural intervals.

Ceutorhynchus alliariae, a dark-coloured weevil with red feet.

Trichosirocalus troglodytes, a hairy brown weevil

Limnobaris t-album, a more elongate weevil, smart black with pale underside of the abdomen.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

More weevils… here are some of the highlights from the Curculioninae subfamily: Furcipus rectirostris, Cionus longicollis (pair), Acalyptus carpini and Dorytomus tortrix. The Cionus genus is adorable!

Furcipus rectirostris, a small orangey-brown weevil associated with Bird Cherry.

A mounting pair of Cionus longicollis, a scarce weevil mainly found in the Brecks.

These are chubby furry weevils with a pair of large black spots on their wing cases.

Acalyptus carpini, a small but smart bronzy-golden weevil.

Dorytomus tortrix. The Dorytomus weevils are tricky to identify. This one is orangey brown with faintly-patterned wing-cases - other species are similar or darker, less orange with a stronger pattern, but most aren’t very easy to identify.

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

I’ve now finished reviewing my records and specimens of Apionid weevils. They’re cute little things, if often tricky to identify. Arguably none as attractive as the Sea-lavender Weevil that @arableplants.bsky.social posted last night, so a trip to the coast to find that may be in order this year.

Apion frumentarium - an almost completely scarlet weevil.

Ceratapion onopordi, a blackish beetle with contrasting blue-green elytra (wing cases).

Protapion trifolii, one of three species in the genus that I’ve found so far, all of which are black beetles with partly orange legs.

Perapion hydrolapathi, a dark weevil with a green metallic shine on its elytra (wing cases).

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

The weevil families Rhynchitidae and Attelabidae are beautiful beetles. Here we have the Nationally Scarce Lasiorhynchites cavifrons, Tatianaerhynchites aequatus (Apple Leaf Weevil), Deporaus betulae (Birch Leaf Roller) and Apoderus coryli (Hazel Leaf-roller). #UKBeetles #UKInverts

Lasiorhynchites cavifrons, a beautiful hairy beetle I found underneath an Oak tree. At a glance it looks black but it has a strong blue metallic colouration, although in the photos this has come out looking more green than blue (the specimen is very definitely blue, hardly green at all). A Nationally Scarce species apparently.

#beetle

The Apple Leaf Weevil with a very long scientific name: Tatianaerhynchites aequatus. This was one of two beaten from Rowan in the local churchyard.

A dark-coloured #weevil with a long rostrum. The wing cases are metallic red, darker at the base.

A Birch Leaf Roller, Deporaus betulae. A smart black weevil which, despite its vernacular and scientific names suggesting an association with birch, is also associated with alder and hazel (this one was on hazel).

A Hazel Leaf-roller, Apoderus coryli, one of just two British members of the family Attelabidae.

The elongate black head is separated from its bright scarlet body by a narrow neck. The base of the legs are scarlet like the body but the rest of the legs are mainly black.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

I’ve resumed my efforts to get up to date with my beetle records, reviewing past records and identifying outstanding specimens. I’ve now finished off the Chrysomelidae and am making progress through the weevils, then I can move on to the bugs… Here’s the tortoise beetle Cassida viridis.

Cassida viridis, a lovely green tortoise beetle.

As with other tortoise beetles the head is hidden beneath the pronotum so the whole beetle has a broadly oval outline. The orange legs and orange and black antennae are visible here as they protrude beyond the beetle’s outline, though these are often retracted.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Chuffed to bits to see Snow Fleas (Boreus hyemalis) today at Felbrigg. Huge thanks to @vannabartlett.bsky.social for finding them previously and providing directions and to @caryocatactes.bsky.social for spotting them first today - I hadn’t appreciated how tiny they would be! #UKInverts #SnowFlea

Male Snow Flea on a dead leaf among moss on a tree stump.

A tiny insect related to scorpionflies rather than fleas, with a downward-pointing beak like scorpionflies, but with short spine-like modified wings.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Just ID’d this Pogonus litteralis from my garden moth trap in August. I’m 16 miles inland but this is coastal and Nationally Scarce so quite unexpected here. Not my first halophilus beetle here though: Bledius bicornis in 2019 & Dicheirotrichus obsoletus in 2023. Also quite a few saltmarsh moths.

Pogonus littoralis (Wrinkled Driftliner) on the edge of an eggbox in my moth trap.

It’s a dark Carabid #beetle with a metallic green sheen mainly evident along the edges of the elytra (wing cases).

#UKBeetle

Pogonus littoralis (Wrinkled Driftliner) on an eggbox in my moth trap.

#UKInvert

Bledius bicornis - an even rarer coastal species that has made it inland here to North Elmham.

Dicheirotrichus obsoletus, a relatively pale brown Carabid beetle.

Judging from the map at the NBN Atlas this species has a bit more of a history of turning up inland.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

This fabulous book arrived yesterday and I’ve already read it pretty much from cover to cover. I normally prefer audio books and can’t think of another physical book I’ve read so comprehensively for literally decades. Congrats @graemelyons.bsky.social: a fantastic achievement.

A photo of Graeme Lyon’s newly-published book Pan-Species Listing - How to Become a Super-Naturalist (published by @pelagicpublishing).

The front cover shows a diversity of species from different groups, the artwork by Rachel Hudson (@rachelhillustrates).

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Does anyone on here have a good technique for everting a moth’s aedeagus? I have had success pushing/pulling it through but that doesn’t always work. I can’t source an affordable pipette that’s fine-tipped enough (one in photo has outside diameter of 0.8mm - needs to be nearer 0.25mm). #TeamMoth

The finest-tipped pipette I can find, at least for an affordable price. But the outside diameter of the tip is 0.8mm which is too big to fit inside a moth’s aedeagus.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

My first #lacewing of the year, and an excuse to try out the camera on my new phone. It’s either Chrysoperla carnea or Chrysoperla pallida. Females of these two species can’t be told apart but based on my records of males here it’s several hundred times more likely to be carnea.

Female Chrysoperla carnea (probably) or Chrsyoperla pallida (possibly, but very much less likely).

These are green lacewings that turn brown in winter. This one isn’t fully brief but the green colour is dull and there are brown patches on the tergites (along the top of the abdomen).

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Your DIY skills are infinitely greater than mine but I’ve found it effective enough to insert it into blu-tack between a pair of lollipop sticks tightly bound together with sellotape. I used to just use the feathers but kept losing them and it’s increasingly hard to get hold of new feathers.

A Woodcock alula feather inserted between a pair of lollipop sticks, incredibly useful for cleaning macerated moth genitalia for identification purposes.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Still working through specimens from last year… Here’s a beetle family-tick from 11th July: Orchesia micans (Melandryidae). I found this one indoors at home. Not very common apparently. #UKBeetles

Dorsal view of Orchesia micans, found in my house in July.

A dark reddish brown beetle getting greatly darker towards the front. It has a smooth outline, long hind tibia and shallowly clubbed antennae.

#beetle #Coleoptera

Side view of Orchesia micans, found in my house in July.

#UKinverts

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