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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 23h

Not common, no. Looking at @norfolkmoths.bsky.social website there are more larval records than I thought but still not many. Most seem to be along the north coast.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

As marvellous as Steve’s emoji is, the post I actually meant to tag with #NorfolkMoths was Tim’s Convolvulus caterpillar bsky.app/profile/moth...

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

That’s an impressive double! Trapping every night I don’t see either of these species most years.

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Reposted by Dave Appleton

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

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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 · 23/09/2026

Assuming it was in the UK I think it’s safe to call this one Hemerobius stigma. If elsewhere then I don’t know.

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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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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 · 29/08/2026

Timely after writing this, that I caught a Pearly Underwing last night. It was only my second here in the last 10 years though! I’ll get dentalis one day, though probably not here…

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I don’t consider it a staycation if I’m staying 15 miles up the road. Much to be said for staycations but they definitely involve sleeping in your own bed!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

If I caught Cynaeda dentalis, Purple Marbled and Horse Chestnut I don’t think I’d be describing it as underwhelming! Frankly even just the 2 Pearly Underwings would be remarkable round here.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Still a valuable record even if it is dead! Could you please send me the details or stick it on iRecord? Thank you!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

It’s a very similar story in Norfolk - lots at a single site but hardly any recorded anywhere else (just a single isolated record from one other site this millennium). Lovely moths when fresh.

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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 · 18/08/2026

I’ve dissected all the maritima/saxicola candidates I’ve had and apart from some small poorly-marked binaevella, they’ve all been maritima. However after getting up to 7 a year before, I haven’t had one since 2018. I think saxicola may be a bit less scarce in some areas though (mainly coastal?).

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

They’re also difficult to rear through unfortunately. Some have found that they just carry on moulting into fresh instars but don’t pupate - mine didn’t even do that!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

That right, as far as I know. There’s a Norwegian key to larvae that allows you to separate Xanthostigma xanthostigma from Phaeostigma notata and other Norwegian species but it doesn’t include the other two British species so I don’t know how to exclude those.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Yes, fabulous find! My first snakefly find was a larva, randomly found strolling across my microscope plate in my study while I was examining a beetle. No idea how or why it got there and still haven’t seen an adult here.

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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 · 10/08/2026

Crumbs, I’d have called that a pascuella, though I’d have been surprised to see a fresh one this late. Still struggling to see why it isn’t pascuella though - what am I missing? The leplastriana is lovely!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

ObsID is completely useless with these unfortunately (among other things, like Hoary Footman springs to mind). I’ve gen detted a few rosaceana which ObsID was 100% certain were rufana. As I understand it rufana never has any pink at all (but sometimes rosaceana doesn’t either).

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Celypha rosaceana for me I’m afraid. I’m seeing a few of these without any pink at all and lots where there’s very little pink. Yours seems to have pink cilia and along the costa which should rule out rufana.

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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 · 07/08/2026

Depends how much capacity you have for gen dets. I suspect it won’t prove very interesting, maybe Hawthorn Moth as you suggest, but you won’t know it isn’t something more exciting unless you chop it. If you keep everything that needs gen det then keep it, but if you have to prioritise maybe not.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

You often see that yellow colour along the costa at the widest part of the wing on very worn moths - I think it’s where it gets most worn and perhaps also damp where it drags? I suspect there won’t be many scales there?

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

I don’t think so Les - wings too narrow and I think it has remnants of scales. I’d say this was a moth but one that’s been through the wars and could only be identified with reference to its genitalia. Maybe Yponomeutidae, or not.

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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 · 30/07/2026

Exactly - very unexpected here. And appreciated all the more for it!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

No! My next-door neighbour has a small pond but I think that’s dried up this summer and I don’t suppose it’s very sandy. There’s a bigger lake 600m away but not sandy. I’m a couple of miles from some gravel pits which might be suitable?

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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 · 27/07/2026

Hi Rob, have another look at the position of vein RMCV. I’m pretty sure this will be a Wesmaelius (probably nervosus). Some Hemerobius are roughly similar but micans has plainer wings and is generally more orangey.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Lovely - I’ve not seen Jersey Tiger yet, though they’re starting to appear in Norfolk so it probably won’t be long. I think the grey is Eudonia mercurella (Garden Grey) but they’re tricky!

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I think the ones on bindweed are Honey Bees. I’m not great on bees though.

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Dave Appleton @applewildlife.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Fabulous! The second one is a Small Red-eyed Damselfly (more extensive blue on sides of each end of the abdomen compared to Red-eyed). I was hoping to look for Dainty Damselfly while I was down there but sadly there wasn’t enough time, so I’ve still never seen that.

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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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