iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

This Little Rock Goby got my pan species list to the 2500 mark #PanSpeciesListing #PSL #fish

Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Combining two hobbies yesterday. A common Blenny/Shanny at Lowestoft pier. A #PSL and fishing tick for me, bigger than I thought they’d be! #LRF

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

I’ve had them feeding on Angelica too, Hemlock seems fairly regular at isolated locations now too… but always within fen surrounding and not yet beyond in the wider landscape

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Seems a bad evolutionary link for a rare butterfly larva to eat a rare plant’s flowers and seeds. (Swallowtail Butterfly). Still a few adults flying now too.

A green and black Swallowtail caterpillar eating white Milk Parsley

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

A quick foray into the fen to carry out some swallowtail larval counts yielded 2 new species for me, an amazing Musk Beetle and the planthopper Stenocranus longipennis

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Big thanks to @britishbugs.bsky.social for such a fantastic website, an amazing resource in a field that seems to be sadly lacking decent identification guides in the uk… great job 👏

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Busy week of identifying specimens from Franchises Lodge, about 260 species (exc moths) identified and the target of better understanding invertebrate identification achieved. A few more pots to go next week and then a big write up required.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Can anyone confirm this grasshopper from New Forest? It’s the only photo I have, dark marks appear to reach rear of pronotum suggesting Heath, but can’t convince myself… thanks!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

This ‘Masked Hunter’ must’ve been enjoying breakfast in my moth trap today as it was packed full of bycatch . Can’t see scale in the pic but it’s a very large bug at ~2cm!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

This is looking good for Langmaids Yellow Underwing isn’t it??

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

All records will go to Wilts moth recorder when collated but for now the Ramburialis were on 21/6 and 26/6, the Splendid Brocade was 22/6.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Apart from the caddisflies and lacewings, which are still to identify this moth trap ‘intruder’ was most welcome, the spectacular cranefly Ctenophora ornata, what a beast!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Franchises Lodge RSPB reserve, Wiltshire- SU228172

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

I was very pleased to see 4 new Orthoptera species too, enjoyed getting to grips with the hoppers again.. always fun to stalk!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Some migrants too for @migrantmothuk.bsky.social 2 Diasemiopsis ramburialis (Migrant Sable), 1 Splendid Brocade, and small numbers of Silver y’s, RDPs, diamondbacks

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Some summer green and I finally got my Goat!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Back from a great week at rspb’s Franchises Lodge in Wiltshire, primarily to record moths but also try to ID as many inverts as I could. I’ll put together a few messages with the highlights over the coming weeks as I get through the specimens…

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Reposted by Ben Lewis

Drew Lyness @djlbirding.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Going to #GlobalBirdfair? ➡️ Sat 12 July (10am) - Plover Lecture Stage - 'Scarcities & Swallowtails: Celebrating 50 years of RSPB Strumpshaw Fen'. ✅ Learn about this amazing reserve, now in its 50th year, from the perspective of its most addicted patch-birder... me! #birds #NorfolkBirding 😎

Swallowtail Butterfly feeding on pink flowers.

Honey Buzzard gliding through blue skies.

Fen Raft Spider stood on small lily pads while holding an egg sac.

A landscape view of Strumpshaw Fen with lush green reeds, blue shimmering water and blue skies with fluffy clouds.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Iconic forest birds of Hawaii saved by Doner Kebabs 😂

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Hijack away, I’m sure it’ll be more than just us that want to know the answers.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Fantastic, thanks for your help there. I’ve mainly been small scale collecting and identifying the catch fairly soon after, but a week in New Forest in late June may be a different experience, so need decent storage for specimens. 👍

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Thanks Andy. Likely to be Staphs, weevils and true bugs mostly, with a few other beetles and craneflies, caddis etc too.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Invert recorders- I am doing my first week long study of a site for inverts next week. Q: what is the current best way to store inverts between collection and microscopy c.2weeks later so they can be id’d/carded/pinned etc? Freezer, pickling vinegar on cloth, dry? What do you do? Thanks

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Nice to see a Red-Tipped Clearwing (no lure) feeding on Marsh Valerian at Surlingham yesterday, my first clearwing of the year.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

135 species in the Strumpshaw moth trap this morning was a very good start to the day, a couple new for the reserve too! My highlight however was the bycatch, 15 new species for me there..

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Nice morning at Titchwell looking at reedbed management with Ryan. Also got a few nice sightings while there- Dune Tiger Beetle (beauty!), Marram Weevil, an apparent Gynnidomorpha vectisana and a couple of juv Spoonbills.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

I stumbled upon one there in early March this year, little stunners!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Pleasant afternoon at Buxton Heath, some nice bugs, beetles, weevils and hoppers seen and even a well overdue new species of macro moth.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

One at Strumpshaw Fen on 28th April, although not photographed the observers seemed very reliable. I hear another was two days prior to this at Horsey too. Incredibly early (and scary emergence dates!)

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Thanks Dave, thought I’d check. Looks like it’s full size or nothing then. Limiting factor is it can only really be used at proper survey location rather than as you would a sweep net on a walk for example. Decisions decisions… ta

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Does anybody use a smaller alternative to the full sized leaf vacuums for invert suction sampling.. that actually works? #PSL @applewildlife.bsky.social I recall seeing a post from you about this, what was your outcome? Thanks

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Finally added Water Ladybird to my PSL at Buckenham this afternoon. Gaining slowly but steadily with 2011sp now…. And enjoying it!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

4 interlopers with the Highlands yesterday (just 1 in the picture). Amazing how quick you can get used to these once very rare birds… now seemingly part of the scenery

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Amazing, thanks for sharing 👍

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

46 Marsh Harriers and 1 Hen Harrier left the roost @rspbstrumpshawfen.bsky.social at dawn this morning. First few hints of spring with Reed Buntings piping up and starting to sing.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Looks like I saw some Mammatus clouds over Catfield Fen Norfolk this afternoon,? Some crazy rain and hail was associated!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Is this a Collared Earthstar (without a collar) or something else? Can’t convince myself of ID using my field guide… @rspbstrumpshawfen.bsky.social yesterday, along the pumphouse track by the gate to meadow.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Todays adventures had me monitoring scrub at a rather monochrome Catfield Fen and back at the fen the cattle have finally produced a Cattle Egret.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Between 38 and 42 marsh harriers up in the air at once in this evenings roost at Strumpshaw Fen. Likely to be 50+ birds in the area at the moment, quite a spectacle

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

A surprise WeBS bird at Berney/Breydon this morning was very nice….didn’t quite make up for my #Nikon ED50 getting blown over in the wind and breaking the threads 🙄 (also tens of thousands of Lapwing, 7,000+ Golden Plover, 10,000+ pink footed geese, 1000 Shoveler and a Spotted Redshank)

Shorelark at Berney Marshes RSPB this morning

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

A nice bit of birthday birding at Waxham this morning. Found this stunner of an adult Iceland Gull. Photos terrible but a great bird that I hope sticks around for others. Patterning of primaries initially suggested Kumleins to me, however it appears not to be..

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Pan species experts- does this tiny 2mm beetle found in a litter pile yesterday look like it could be Cartodere nodifer? I don’t have the keys but nice and bumpy with waxy edged pronotum look ok. Don’t want to record without ruling out other possibilities, ta.

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Not likely to be many sporty messages from me but it was so good to see West Ham vs Arsenal at the weekend it was 2-5 at halftime after an Arsenal/Saka masterclass. Toby was very happy!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Dawn PF Goose roost count at Buckenham, they did not disappoint. I had 8,525 leave the roost as well as at least 9,500 Rooks/Jackdaws in one noisy flock, 2,000+ wigeon and 20 Marsh Harriers

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Haha, too true, you’ve certainly been there!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Most people see Sutton Fen in the summer months, today it was very wet, windy and rather unpleasant!

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Ben Lewis @benlewisuk.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

I do the same in winter too… can work very well, at least it gives you a chance of getting something!

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