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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Autumn moths can be beautiful; we caught this Merveille du jour (Griposia aprilina) and two Black rustics (Aporophyla nigra) -aka the 'lichen camouflaged' one and the 'black velvet'one. #ukmoths #mothsmatter #cambridgewildlife

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The European Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) is spreading north rapidly and there have been several sightings in the SE of England this year, including in Cambridge. #ukhemiptera #cambridgewildlife

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

It has been a great year for Hummingbird hawk moths in Cambridge. We observed ne egg-laying at the weekend in Cambourne. Here is a picture of the bright green egg. #mothsmatter #wildlifebcn

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

More Beewolf action. A wash and brush-up, in Cambridge today. #cambridgewildlife #ukhymenoptera

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The 'wing-waving' bit of the Semaphore fly's (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus) mating behaviour. The male is the slightly larger fly with the white wing tips.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

A Beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) being a beewolf! Collecting a honeybee and taking it down into its nest (which can be 1m deep and have up to 34 short side tunnels). The honeybee is placed into a cell with an egg.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Check Wingnut trees near you for the Wingnut gall mite, Aceria pterocaryae. First recorded in Britain in 2006, and rarely seen since. I checked nearby Wingnut trees; a Chinese wingnut and Rhedar wingnut and both have this gall on them. There are no records in the NBM atlas. #ukplantgalls

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Moth trapping this morning in Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Not a great haul for July - the cold nights and drought may have something to do with this, but still an impressive list. (Please ignore the printed date as we are reusing an old diary to record the species).

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

A male Broad-bordered yellow underwing (Noctua finbriata) hardening his wings off this afternoon in Cambridge. These photos are between 1-4pm and he left sometime after 4pm today. This moth shows sexual dimorphism as the females are a pale orangy/creamy buff whilst the males are brown.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

2026 is a Painted Lady Year. Every 10 years or so there is a mass migration & in 2019 about 11 million migrated to the UK. Each Spring they migrate from tropical Africa though this is completed over several generations. In the autumn they travel back to Africa at high altitude to repeat the cycle.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

More pictures from Strawberry Hill NR last weekend. Despite the cool and cloudy day we saw some interesting moths, including a Coleophora kuenella case. #ukmoths #mothsmatter #wildlifebcn

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

More pictures from Strawberry Hill NR last weekend. Despite the cool and cloudy day we saw some nice butterflies. #ukbutterflies

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

World Bee Day. Here are some bumblebees making good use of a poppy in Cambridge today. #worldbeeday

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Blossom underwing caterpillars on Oak in Strawberry Hill NR yesterday #ukmoths #bcbedsnorthants #wildlifebcn

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Butterflies from yesterday: Small blues, Common blues, Small coppers, Painted ladies and Brown argus. Chalk landscape near Cambridge.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

A Holly blue butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) ovipositing on Sainfoin in Cambridge today. It is a good year for first brood Holly blues. #cambridgewildlife #ukbutterflies

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Grantchester Field Studies: 26th April. Lots of Tortoise beetles were found (Cassida vibex). The fierst clue was in the small round holes in the Knapweed leaves. A bit of searching and we began to find these green camouflage experts. #ukbeetles

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Grantchester Field Studies: 26th April. A Mottled shieldbug (Rhaphigaster nebulosa) flew into the churchyard and posed for a photo. There were lots of Hairy shieldbugs and also Brassica shieldbugs in all their different colours. #ukhemiptera #shieldbugs

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Photos from the 2026 Conversazione are now on our facebook page - Jim Woodhouse, Lois Clarke, & setting out the exhibits (photos by Bob Jarman, Rhona Watson & Graham Copekoga).

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

A female Small snakefly (Xanthostigma xanthostigma) seen in Cambridge yesterday afternoon. Sankeflies are not usually seenas when young they live under tree bark and when adult, are usually at the tops of trees. Perhaps this one had just emerged.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

A young Wood mouse aka Long-tailed field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) seen in Cambridge yesterday. #cambsmammalgroup

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Last talk of the season on Wednesday 22nd April in Cambridge. In person or online, all welcome.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

More moths from the Cambridge Botanic Gardens this morning. It is hard to beat a morning with a Puss moth, a Mullein, Muslin moths, as well as Least black arches, Many plumed, Early grey etc. #mothsmatter #cambsmoths #teammoth

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Ashy mining bee (Andrena cineraria) and its main kleptoparasite, Lathbury's nomad bee (Nomada lathburiana). Both seen today in Cambridge - a new colony of about 20 Ashy mining bees and one nomad bee flying around. #ukbees

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A pair of Speckled wood butterflies today. The male is trying to mate with the female and is wafting pheromones over her. The female is not interested and eventually plays dead to try to discourage the male.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

My first Speckled wood and Holly blues of the season today in Cambridge. There were also Peacocks, a Red admiral and Brinstones flying about. My friends also saw a male Orang tip on the wing yesterday. #bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Chiffchaff and Blackcap. The spring weather meant that the new arrivals were singing in the woods today. #birdsoc_cam

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Just in case you are free this Saturday, the wonderful Cambridge Natural History Festival is on. All welcome! #NatHistCam #CNHSConversazione

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Spring moth trapping. King's College meadow is full of Cowslips and Snakeeshead fritillaries. Only one moth today, the 'local' Agonopterix purpurea but there were 7 Marbled beauty caterpillars on the white wall behind the trap (they feed on lichen). #mothsmatter

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Eyed ladybird spotted today in Cambridge. On low vegetation quite a way from Pine trees. Great to see as there aren't many records in Cambridge of this beetle. #ukladybirds

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

A beautiful morning to go moth-trapping in the Botanic Gardens with the cherries in full bloom. Great to see some new students joining us too. 10 people, and lots of moths: Clouded drab, Hebrew characters, Common quakers, Lichen tortrix and even a Pine beauty #cubotanicgarden #moths #teammoths

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

A Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) nectaring amongst Apple blossom today in Cambridge.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Lots of ladybirds out in the sun today; including 2 Harlequins infected with the fungus green moss-like fungus; Hesperomyces harmonie. I also found a 2-spot, a 10-spot, possibly hundreds of 7-spots and many harlequins. #hesperomyces

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

My first beefly of the year today' Bombylius major / Dark-edged beefly, in central Cambridge. #bombylius

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

(Almost) the last talk of the season; Thursday evening, all welcome either in person or online.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Mothing on top of the David Attenborough building this morning. Lots of orthosias, and nice to have more moth-ers than moths today! #mothsmatter

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Talk on Thursday 12th March. Online or in person, all welcome.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Cambridge Natural History Exhibition aka the Conversazione. Exhibits wanted.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

There are five butterflies that overwinter as adults in the UK and emerge when it is warm (if you don't count the Large tortoiseshell). These are the butterflies that we we might see flying around at the moment in Cambridge - Small tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone, Red admiral and Comma.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Talk on Thursday 5th March, online or in person. All welcome.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Spring, and the first butterflies of the year! A Peacock butterfly, lots of Hairy-footed flower bees have emerged (we saw 2 males and a female earlier this week, and we must have seen about 30 yesterday). Also, my first mining bee of the season, a male Andrena bicolor/Gwynne's mining bee.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Thursday talk on Ladybirds. Online or in person, all welcome.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Dick Newall and Swifts. Talk on Thursday evening; in person or online. All welcome.

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Magpies fighting. This might be a territorial fight, it seems Library Court may be a good place to nest. In the end they were disturbed and flew away. There were a few magpies nearby that you can hear with the sound on. #cambridgewildlife #birdsoc_cam #uk_birdwatching

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

It looks like the Roe is itchy under the bottom of his antlers - you can see him scratching with a small twig at the join with his forehead. He also chews the twig as well, presumably to get it just right!

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Cambridge Natural History Society @cnhs1857.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Early morning visit to the Botanic Gardens by the moth trapping group produced one moth in the trap (a March moth) and a visit to two wonderful plants that are pollinated by moths (in the wild) - the Moonflower and Darwin's Orchid. Why not visit them yourselves? #cubotanicgarden

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