iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Well, somewhat predictably, today's partial #SolarEclipse was intermittently obscured by cloud in #Morecambe. Still, it did look rather impressive though.

Image of the partial solar eclipse as seen looking north across Morecambe Bay, England. Dark inky blue/black clouds form streaks across the centre of the image, contrasting with the golden, lilac and peach tones of the sky. At the very centre of the image the narrow, bright arc of the sun can just be seen peeking through from behind the cloud.

A view looking north across Morecambe Bay during the partial solar eclipse. In contrast to the dark, almost black mudflats lie discrete linear streaks of water, ranging from pale yellow to blue grey and deep violet in colour. The uppermost area of the sky is clear blue, flecked with white whisps of cloud. A band of darker, inky blue and grey cloud stretches across the centre of the image obscuring the sun. Beneath the cloud layer, the sky is red, gold and pale violet, with bright crepuscular rays radiating out from the sun.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Clearly even lightning gods hate the fucking Gascons (though to be fair they're not especially keen on Aquitaine either).

Real-time lightning map showing a ribbon-like storm front stretching from northeast to southwest as it moved through Gascony at 01:30am on 28 June. It would suggest that multiple sorely vexed lightning gods were directing their combined wrath at pesky Gascons.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I do hope you weren't as disappointed in the forts as this poor soul. I'm genuinely intrigued as to what they had expected to find on a visit to Ambleside Roman fort.

An insightful review of Ambleside Roman fort. The visitor has awarded the fort a lowly two stars noting it's "not worth to visit (sic) this place unless if you are interested in Roman history."

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Not exactly the most cooperative species when it comes to having their photos taken, are they? Still, I can relate to that, which is probably why I love them so much. #dragonfly #UKWildlife

A large dragonfly is resting on a dry twig so that the viewer is looking down on its back; its head is at the top of the image, while its body lies at an angle running diagonally to the left with its wings spread wide on either side. The dragonflies body is black with bright yellow rings around the abdomen; the yellow rings alternate between being narrow and broad. On the thorax, there are bright yellow markings between both pairs of wings, while two broad, bright yellow stripes appear on either side of the body running from the centre of the thorax down towards the head. The face is bright yellow and its eyes are a dazzling emerald green. The majority of the wing is transparent and colourless, with glistening, shiny patches as they reflect the sun. However, the front edge of each wings has a narrow bright yellow stripe, while a series of very narrow, irregular black veins crisscross through the wings, giving them an appearance similar to that of a stained glass window. In the background of the photo there is a mixture of short, green grass and dried vegetation.

A large dragonfly is resting on a green, leaf-covered branch so that the viewer has a side view of the animal; its head is in the top right-hand corner of the image, while its body lies at an angle running diagonally down to the left. The dragonfly's body is black with bright yellow rings around the abdomen; the yellow rings alternate between being narrow and broad. On the thorax, there are three broad, bright yellow stripes running from the centre of the back and dipping down towards the head. The face is bright yellow; the upper part of the very large, semi-circular eye is a dullish emerald green, while the lower part is darker and almost black in colour. The viewer is looking almost across the dragonfly's wings, which are largely transparent and colourless with a series of very narrow, irregular black veins crisscross through the wings, giving them an appearance similar to that of a stained glass window. The background of the photo is mainly bright green bracken, which is blurred and out of focus.

A large dragonfly is resting on a bare, leafless brown branch so that the viewer has a side view of the animal; its head is in the centre at the top of the image, while its body hangs vertically downward. The dragonfly's body is black with bright yellow rings around the abdomen; the yellow rings alternate between being narrow and broad. On the thorax, there are three broad, bright yellow stripes running from the centre of the back and dipping down towards the head. The face is also bright yellow, while the very large, semi-circular eye is bright emerald green. Both pairs of the dragonfly's wings are largely transparent and colourless, with a series of very narrow, irregular black veins crisscross through the wings, giving them an appearance similar to that of a stained glass window. The background of the photo is mainly blurred bare, brown twigs, with only a few green leaves being visible.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

According to the details on the Key Info page it's 12pm -6pm. www.togetheralliance.org.uk/march

Screenshot of Key Info page with details of Stand Up to Racism demo.

March TOGETHER against the far right.

Central London. Saturday 28 March 2026. 12pm to 6pm.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

I do love black darters, especially as they often seem so willing to pose for the camera...unless, of course, they decide that the optimum basking spot is *on* the camera, which happens all too often. All this lot were spotted at Lily Tarn in the Lake District between 2019 and 2024.

A small, black dragonfly sitting on a rush at the edge of a tarn. The dragonfly, which is facing away from the viewer, has faint yellowish markings on the side of its thorax and the tip of each of its clear, transparent wings each has a small black spot at the front and are crisscrossed by numerous thin, black veins. A mix of aquatic plants can be seen in the water behind the dragonfly.

A small, black dragonfly sitting on bright green bracken. The dragonfly is facing directly towards the camera; the upper half of its compound eyes are jet black, while the lower portion appear more slate grey with large black spots, and there are faint yellow markings at the side of its jaw. The thorax, which is black, is covered in fine, pale hairs. It is rubbing its first pair of legs together to clean them; the bristles on its legs are clearly visible. Its wings are pulled forward and inclined at a downward angle as it rests. In the background behind the dragonfly is more blurred, out of focus bracken.

A small black dragonfly is basking in the sun on a flat, grey rock. The dragonfly is standing at an oblique angle to the viewer; although it is mainly black, yellowish markings can be seen along its lower jaw, the side of its thorax and at the base of its abdomen. Its transparent wings, which are spread wide from its body, are almost colourless except for a network of black veins giving them an appearance similar to stained glass and there is a small black spot on the front tip of each wing.

A small black dragonfly resting on a dry plant stalk. The dragonfly is facing away from the viewer, with its head towards the top of the photo. Although predominantly black, its colour is rather patchy and brown in places. It is resting with its wings spread out and angled slightly forward towards its head. The wings have a somewhat cloudy appearance, and are shot through with numerous thin, black veins; the far tip at the front of each wing has a single small black spot. The background behind the dragonfly is slightly blurred, but shows more stalks of dry vegetation.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Those furry, pointy-snouted bastards...

Fake headline (or is it?)

The economic illiteracy of The Wombles will impoverish generations to come.

Allister Heath
The Telegraph

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Then I suppose this is an empty bottle of garum?

A screenshot of the type of dull, grey bedroom designed to wither the soul and leave it a discarded, desiccated husk with what appears to be a poorly secreted bottle of vodka next to the bedside cabinet.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Maybe, just maybe, the poor traumatised owl was simply out for revenge... #FriskTheDriverForSillyString

Screenshot of news headline in the Lancaster Guardian.

Silly string attack on boy carrying owl -
Lancaster and district news - Lancaster Guardian
An 11-year-old boy was punched and sprayed...

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Just to flag, random MPs seem to be being displayed. Instead of Lizzi Collinge, I had both Nadia Whittome and Perran Moon pop up. I hope this is just a glitch and messages are sent to the correct recipient?

Screenshot:
Nadia Whittome MP

Subject
Don't bow down to transphobes

Screenshot:
Perran Moon MP

Subject
Don't bow down to transphobes

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

I really can't imagine why you'd think that...

Janey Godley holding her famous "Trump is a cunt" sign.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

Ditto the Guardian. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Extract from the linked article about Jeffrey Epstein in The Guardian.

"Mountbatten-Windsor and Buckingham Palace have been approached for comment. He has previously acknowledged his friendship with Maxwell. In October he said of claims about his links to Epstein: "I vigorously deny the accusations against me." There is no suggestion that being mentioned in the files is evidence of wrongdoing."

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

@lizzicollinge.bsky.social Did you know that Margaret Bondfield visited Morecambe in 1931? She was Minister for Labour when she officially opened the new Sunshine Slopes, which incorporated sea defences in response to previous flooding. Pathé news footage can be seen via link: cutt.ly/rti9FCYd

A postcard entitled "Sunshine Slopes and Pool, Morecambe". The view is taken from an elevated position towards the top of the then newly redeveloped Sunshine Slopes, which incorporated new sea defences in response to previous storm damage and flooding between Morecambe and Heysham. The black and white image depicts a busy scene along the promenade looking south towards Heysham from near Sandylands. In the foreground to the left, a path weaves its way down the slope towards the main promenade, while to the right children are playing with toy boats in a small kidney-shaped pool. Numerous visitors in 1930s-style dress are strolling along the prom or relaxing and taking in the view from the benches on the slopes. A small dog, with pointed ears and an exceptionally curly tail, is standing on the path. The cliffs at Heysham can be seen in the background, while with the sea and the hills of the Lake District are visible in the distance. The postcard was posted on 19 June 1933, just over two years after Sunshine Slopes were officially opened.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

A film that takes place where you're from

A group of actors (left to right: Nicola Duffett, Andrea Riseborough, Geraldine James, Miranda Richardson, Sally Hawkins, Jaime Winstone and Lorraine Stanley) sporting finest 1960s attire and appropriately big hair in a still from Made in Dagenham.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Based upon the passing resemblance to Raggety, I believe that what you have there may be a wood troll.

The animated bundle of spindley twigs in childs clothing that is Raggety the wood troll from the Rupert the Bear cartoon.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

"Consumer eyes are dazzled by OpenAI's generative marvels." I must remember to be more dazzled and less "why has that woman got three arms?" or "buggerit, this country's utterly stuffed, I'm moving to Switeerlurg".

A fever dream of a map of Europe courtesy of ChatGPT. Some countries have been vomited into random locations (the Netherlands is labelled as 'Luxembourg'; the UK has, thankfully, been forcibly occupied by Ireland; Ireland itself is simply random 'land' - presumably a referendum will be held in due course to confirm its new name). Others have disappeared completely (AI has succeeded where the Third Reich failed and has subsumed Denmark into Germany). The Grand Duchy formerly known as Luxembourg is now 'Switterlurg', while Switzerland is Switzenland'. Thankfully, Austria is in the right place, although it also apparently now occupies the Czech Republic, which obviously caused a wee bit of a diplomatic kerfuffle.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

'Storm of the century'? Sadly, I fear that clichéd headline now feels like wishful thinking. And, as usual, it's the poorest who'll suffer most due to the apathy and inertia of wealthier nations in the face of the climate crisis.

Screenshot of headline from The Guardian website:

Hurricane Melissa latest update

Hurricane set to make landfall in next few hours as Jamaica braces for 'storm of the century'

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

You mean you don't appreciate this...erm...'tasteful' item? Seriously though, I'm struggling to understand why resources are wasted to produce such tat, especially as you just *know* the bloody things will end up in the 'reduced to 50p' bin in the January sales.

Header: Smart Garden Red GnomeShroom Orament - 16cm

The photo shows...ermm...a 'tasteful' ornament comprising the head of a gnome/tomte with a brown fake fur beard and a plastic fly agaric stylee red and white toadstool perched on its head.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Well, if it's utterly useless tat you want then the gnomeshroom takes some beating: www.britishgardencentres.com/shop/product...

A screenshot of an ad from a garden centre promoting "smart garden red GnomeShroom ornament - 16cm"

The product is the head of a rather hirsute gonk, whose only visible feature is a prominent nose nestled amid a fake fur beard. It's wearing a hat based on a fly agaric mushroom.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

The introduction of digital ID cards did not appear in the Labour manifesto & has no popular mandate. Interestingly, opposition to the proposal appears strongest in core Labour areas. I do hope MPs, especially those in marginal seats, realise this. petitionmap.unboxedconsulting.com?petition=730...

Map showing the distribution of signatures to the petition against digital ID cards per parliamentary constituency. The higher the percentage of constituents that have signed the petition, the darker the shade of red the constituency appears on the map. The map suggests that opposition is strongest in the midlands and northern England and in north and south Wales, all traditionally core areas of Labour support.

A map showing the result of the 2024 general election result by constituency.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

Not a patch on the original...

Douglas the Lurpak man from an ancient ad c.2000

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

*cough* I think you mean five hours!

Screenshot of TV schedule for UK's Channel 4 tomorrow, 17 September

10:00pm Trump v The Truth
3:00am Huge Homes with Hugh Dennis

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

They didn't. The show is actually scheduled to last FIVE hours.

Screenshot of TV schedule for the UK's Channel 4 tomorrow, 17 September.

10:00pm Trump v The Truth
3:00am Huge homes with Hugh Dennis

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

"...violence is coming to you." So Musk tries to undermine the government while inciting violence with fascist doublespeak. I hope the government now shows the same level of enthusiasm for proscribing far-right organisations & arresting their supporters as they did for placard waving grannies.

Report on today's gathering of pissed-up fascist thugs in London in the Guardian.

Musk told the march rally:"My appeal is to British common sense, which is to look carefully around you and say 'If this continues, what world will you be living in?"

"This is a message to the reasonable centre, the people who ordinarily wouldn't get involved in politics, who just want to live their lives. They don't want that, they're quiet, they just go about their business."

"My message to them; if this continues, that violence is going to come to you, you will have no choice. You're in a fundamental situation here. Whether you choose violence or not, vioence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die, that's the truth, I think "

Report from the Guardian:

Musk claimed that a "dissolution of parliament" and a "change of government" is needed in the UK. He said: "I really think that there's got to be a change of government in Britain. You can't - we don't have another four years, or whenever the next election us,it's too long. Something's got to be done. There's got to be a dissolutionof parliament and a new vote held."

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Meh. Length is all well and good, but give me shiny any day...

A rather worn, threadbare looking fork-tailed flower bee sitting on a hedge woundwort leaf. Its long, chunky - and surprisingly shiny - tongue is poking out.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

And just a few of the many #hoverfly species that have been rolling up over the last few months. #Hoverflies #UKWildlife #Wildflowers #Invertebrates

An overhead view of a bear syrph hoverfly resting on a nasturtium leaf. This large hoverfly, approximately 1.5cm in length, is extremely chunky; its body looks like two fluffy pom poms joined together! It has a yellow head, with two very large eyes that are almost black in colour. Its thorax is mainly black with a distinct pale yellow D-shaped stripe near the abdomen. The abdomen is marked by a narrow, faint, yellowish-grey band near the thorax, followed by a broad, black band and a pale yellow band on the rump. The hoverfly’s wings are transparent except for the dark brown veins that form an intricate pattern; although the wings are generally colourless, there are two distinct dark brown patches on each wing, one immediately adjacent to the body and the second on the leading edge of the wing approximately halfway along its length. The appearance of the hoverfly mimics that of a bumblebee.

Marmalade hoverfly. The small, ~1cm hoverfly is resting on a bright purple and pink cornflower. The hoverfly has large, round compound eyes that are rust brown in colour and a dark, metallic bronze thorax. Its abdomen is marked by alternating orange-yellow and dark brown bands; in two segments, the darker bands form a distinctive 'moustache'-like shape, similar to a curly bracket. Its highly reflective colourless, transparent wings are crossed by an intricate pattern of dark veins giving them an appearance similar to stained glass.

Two hoverfly species on adjacent white and yellow daisy-like flowers of common chamomile. The uppermost flower is occupied by a somewhat chunky looking hoverfly; it has dark brown eyes that are fringed with fine hair, a broad, bronze coloured thorax and a wide, tapering abdomen marked by distinct broad bands of yellow and dark brown. That hoverfly is facing to the right and therefore in the opposite direction to the hoverfly occupying the lower flower. This second hoverfly is far more delicate looking; it has a distinctly narrower, more elongated body. It has a yellow face with large, dark brown eyes, a bronze coloured thorax and an abdomen marked by yellow and dark brown bands.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Meanwhile, the leafcutter bees are squibbling with the common carder bees over the knapweed and the Colletes bees are taking on the hoverflies over the chamomile. The Lasioglossum sp have claimed the bloody cranesbill & heath pearlwort as their own. #Bees #UKWildlife #Wildflowers #Invertebrates

Colletes sp. bee. A small bee ~8mm in length resting on a chamomile flower. The bee is facing forward and looking almost directly towards the camera. It is blackish in colour, but covered in short, dense gingery-yellow hair on its heart-shaped face. The bee has large, black elliptical eyes and short, straight black antennae, which are pointing down towards the flower. The hair is somewhat sparser on its thorax and legs; its rear pair of legs are absolutely covered in bright orange pollen. This bee is beyond cute - it is absolutely adorable!

Lasioglossum sp. bee. A side view of an absolutely tiny wee bee whose somewhat narrow, elongated body measures only about 4-5mm in length. This metallic furrow bee is extremely shiny; its thorax and abdomen, which have a colour similar to a green-tinged antique brass. It is sparsely covered in short, pale cream coloured hair; while the hairs on the thorax and legs are distributed randomly, those on the abdomen are segregated into distinct bands. The bee’s dark brown eyes are shaped like an elongated eclipse and extend along roughly about 75% of its total head length. The bee – rather rudely! – decided that my hand made the ideal spot on which to groom itself; its left antenna is therefore angled down while the bee cleans it with its raised front left leg.

A lateral view of leaf-cutter bee foraging on a spindly, purple-blue cornflower. The medium sized bee is between 1-1.5cm in length. The bee appears to be rather old and worn; its black body colour is offset by only sparse pale brownish hair on the top of its thorax, abdomen and legs. The hair on the underside of the bee's abdomen is denser and is bright orange in colour.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

It's just as well the hedge woundwort has flowered so prolifically - it's had to provide for this lot, among others. It's been positively buzzing over the past month or two, especially with the zipping of dozens of fork-tailed flower bees. #Bees #UKWildlife #Wildflowers #Invertebrates

Fork-tailed flower bee. The foreground shows a lateral view of a medium sized bee (~1.0-1.5cm in length) grooming itself while resting on a hedge woundwort leaf; it has raised its left front leg to complete the task. The bee appears somewhat old and worn, with its black body being only sparsely covered in pale beige brown hair, which extends down its hind legs. Its dark brown compound eye, which is shaped like an elongated ellipse, extends along the length of its head. The short, straight antennae are pointing up and slightly forwards.

Blue mason bee. A small bee measuring ~1cm in length resting on a hedge woundwort leaf. It has a comparatively large, squarish head with elliptical compound eyes.; its thorax and abdomen are generally black in colour, though iridescent blue speckles are clearly visible. The head, thorax and abdomen are all sparsely covered in pale brown hairs; on the abdomen the hairs are aligned in stripes.

Common carder bee. A side view of a chunky bee approximately 1.5cm in length, which is collecting nectar from a dark maroon and white hedge woundwort flower. The bee has a black head, which it’s pushing deep into the flower. It’s thorax and abdomen are covered in dense, long hair; on the thorax, the hair is a pale gingery-brown, while on the thorax the gingery hairs alternate with black hairs to form a stripped pattern. The black hairs extend down its legs, with the rear pair of legs displaying a large, yellow pollen basket.

Buff-tailed or white-tailed bumblebee. A large, chunky bee around 1.5-2cm in length foraging on pink marjoram flowers. The very fuzzy bee has a black head and alternating stripes of long, dense black and lemon yellow hairs on its thorax and abdomen, with the latter ending in a creamy-white tip.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Although it was only established last year, our wildlife space is now looking suitably overgrown! And in spite of the limitations imposed by having a backyard rather than a 'proper' garden, the local #bees and #hoverflies seem to have given it their seal of approval. #UKWildlife #Wildflowers

A small back yard in northern England. Six large raised beds containing an assortment of native wildflowers. At the bottom left is a bog garden in which great burnet is visible. Next to a small pond dotted with frogbit and miniature bulrush are two more raised beds. In one, a few magenta bloody cranesbill flowers can be seen among the purple selfheal. In a larger, lower bed the last few remaining maroon and white spikes of hedge woundwort and pink marjoram can be seen; devils bit scabious is about to flower. In the next bed, blue flowers cover the tall chicory, while red campion and common chamomile crowd out the lower parts of the bed. Behind a honeysuckle in an adjacent trough is another bed containing woodland flowers: dusky cranesbills, a yellow poppy and the green foliage of wood sorrel and ferns. Standing alone to the rear of the yard is a large hexagonal planter containing an acer with green foliage, while in the foreground are two smaller hexagonal planters, each containing another acer; to the right is one with green foliage, the other with paler green leaves fringed with pink. Smaller plants surround the acers; germander speedwell, dog violets and heath pearlwort. Between the two smaller acers is another tiny pond containing an iris and water forget me not. Interspersed around the raised beds are numerous pots containing a wide variety of plants, including: lavender; rosemary; thyme; sage; borage; hyssop; forget me not; scarlet pimpernel; daisies; both red and white clover; a vibernum; ivy; and a small clematis or two. Right in the middle there's a stand from which various bird feeders are hanging: a trio of general seed feeders; a (now empty!) tray of mealworm; and a nyger seed feeder for the resident goldfinches, two of whom were putting in a timely appearance when this photo was taken. Two dishes have also been put out for the birds; one contains water, the other contained seed until a mob of starlings caused mayhem this morning.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Thankfully the TG6 is pretty idiot proof, which means that even I can get photos clear enough to see what's turning up in our backyard (and I don't have to fret about dropping it in the mini pond that's right next to the hedge woundwort!)

A fork-tailed flower bee on a deep maroon and white hedge woundwort flower.

A leafcutter bee on a bright pink ragged robin flower.

A blue mason bee resting on a hedge woundwort leaf.

A Davies' colletes bee on a yellow and white ox-eye daisy flower.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

So attack another state, goad it into retaliating and suddenly the genocide in Gaza slides down the list of priorities? Fuck that. This just adds impetus to holding Israel to account for ALL the slaughter carried out and suffering caused in its name. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Subheader from the linked article in the Guardian:

Critics of war will be more reluctant to press for itsend while missiles from Tehran are killing people in Tel Aviv.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

And not forgetting the #hoverflies; I've found a couple more species of them too! And another beastie lurking in the #pond - our first #caddisfly!

A dorsal view of a small hoverfly 8-10mm long resting on a green leaf. The hoverfly - which is facing away from the camera - is long and tapering in shape; the abdomen broadens slightly at the midpoint before narrowing to a point. The hoverfly's large eyes, which are barely visible over its head, appear almost rust-brown on colour, while its thorax is a dull metallic bronze with three darker linear stripes running from the head towards the abdomen. A bright yellow, semi-circular marking is apparent between the base of the thorax and the abdomen, while the abdomen itself is marked by alternating black and yellow bands; the black bands have a very small, but noticeable "uptick" (similar to a curly bracket) into the yellow of the band above. The hoverfly's colourless wings are narrow and delicate in appearance; although transparent, they are crossed by thin, black veins, with very small black patches being apparent at the top edge of the wing approximately halfway along its length. Species tentatively identified as Sphaerophoria scripta.

A lateral view of a thick-legged hoverfly (Syritta pipiens). The small hoverfly, approximately 8mm in length, is resting on a golden yellow and white ox-eye daisy flower. The large, dark rust-brown compound eyes almost fill the hoverfly's near spherical head. The top of the thorax is black, while the sides are a pale, yellowish-grey in colour. The hoverfly's abdomen is long and narrow, before becoming more bulbous at the tip; it is generally black, with small patches of yellowish-grey markings on each section. The most distinctive feature of this hoverfly are its rear legs, which are significantly thicker near the body; it has the bulky-thighed appearance of a keen cyclist!

Caddisfly larva. The image shows a lateral view of a caddisfly larva measuring around 1.5cm in length. The top of the image shows a small, narrow and elongated dead leaf or similar small piece of foliage, which is dark brown in colour. The leaf is attached by a series of very fine, hair-like filaments to a structure beneath; this is long and tapering becoming progressively narrower to the right of the image, giving it a similar shape to a windsock, and is generally a greyish-brown colour, but speckled with grains of sands and grit. The grains are a range of colours: black; grey; red; white; and colourless/transparent. Some appear reflective, giving the structure a slightly sparkly, jeweled appearance. From an opening to the wider, left side of the structure protrudes the creature that constructed the masterpiece; a small, caddisfly larva is visible poking out from its protective case. Its head is small, rounded yet somewhat elongated, with large black eyes clearly apparent among the spotted white and brown markings. Long, straight antennae, which are banded brown and white, are pointing forward from the head. The caddisfly's legs, which also display brown and white bands, give the impression that it is wearing stripy stockings.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

A couple more species of #bee in the backyard. Spotting the mason bee solves the puzzle of what's using one of our bee hotels (t'other has been claimed by the leafcutter #bees shown earlier in the thread!). I've included fork-tailed flower bees & early bumblebees again simple because I love them!

Blue mason bee. A small bee measuring ~1cm in length resting on a green leaf. It has a comparatively large, squarish head with elliptical compound eyes.; its thorax and abdomen are generally blackish in colour, though iridescent blue speckles are clearly visible. The head, thorax and abdomen are all sparsely covered in pale brown hairs; on the abdomen are aligned in stripes.

Davies' colletes bee, A small bee ~8mm in length resting on an ox-eye daisy flower. The bee is blackish in colour, but covered in short, dense yellow hair on its heart-shaped face. Above its large, black elliptical eyes, short, straight antennae are facing forward from its head. The hair is somewhat sparser on its thorax, while on its abdomen the hairs form distinct, narrow bands giving it a striped appearance. This bee is beyond cute - it is absolutely adorable!

Fork-tailed flower bee. The foreground shows a lateral view of a small bee (~1.0-1.5cm in length) on a spike of deep maroon and white hedge woundwort flowers. The black bee is covered in pale beige brown hair, which extends down its hind legs. Its compound eye, which is shaped like an elongated ellipse, extends along the length of its head. The short, straight antennae are pointing backwards from the bee's head allowing it to access the flower. The bee has extended its proboscis to collect nectar from the flower upon which it is resting. The background of the image is blurred, but shows the foliage and flowers spikes of more hedge woundwort.

Early bumblebee. A medium sized bee around 1.5cm in length. The bee's head is covered in dense yellow hair, through which protrude large, black elliptical compound eyes. Its jointed antennae are pointing down and its proboscis is deeply embedded in the dark purple dusky cranesbill flower upon which it is resting. Immediately behind its head, the bee's thorax is covered in long, dense yellow hair, while the hairs neared the abdomen are black in colour. The hairs on the abdomen continue this striped pattern, from yellow close to the thorax to black, while the tail is more orange in colour.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

That's told 'em. I mean, Israel have a fine record in abiding by international humanitarian law. This spineless, craven response to a flagrant attack on a humanitarian attempt to deliver aid supplies is a stain on this country. This government is utterly despicable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...

Screenshot of a report from the BBC news website by Damian Grammaticas, Political Correspondent.

Headline: UK government wants situation resolved 'safely with restraint'.

Text: Downing Street says it wants to see Israel resolve the situation around the detention of the Madleen yacht "safely with restraint, in line with international humanitarian law".

The Prime Ministers official spokesperson tells reporters at a Downing Street briefing that "we have made clear our position in relation to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The PM has called it appalling and intolerable".

"We have made it very clear we must get more aid into Gaza", they say, adding that "the unimpeded entry of assistance at scale to meet the enormous needs in Gaza is critical".

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Thank gawd for that; telling people stuff is a slippery slope. One minute you're offering unsolicited advice on hair colour, the next you're musing over the demise of nearly 40 million people.

$Screenshot of a completely sane and rational Bluesky post in which the contributor keeps a healthy sense of proportion over a fracas she managed to initiate by offering unsolicited hair care advice to a random stranger. "After my little Trolling by Cali Cait & her posee of trolls; I'm of the opinion California can be blown off he face of the earth & I won't miss it. JFC: What a bunch of fragile egos? I told Cait to quit bleaching her fucking hair. She doesn't need to. She's beautiful w/out it."$

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

They're wonderful! Our hedge woundwort is absolutely buzzing with them at the moment; dozens of them zipping around between the flower spikes (and venturing into the adjacent drift of thrift too when the mood takes them). #Bees

A lateral view of a flower bee on a maroon and white hedge woundwort flower. The bee is small, between 1-1.5cm in length and its generally blackish body colour is offset by the fact that it's covered in pale brown hair. It also has a small yellow 'mask' between its elongated, black compound eyes. The background of the image is blurred, but shows green foliage of plants with another spike of woundwort flowers to the bottom right of the photo.

A lateral view of a flower bee hanging upside down from a maroon and white hedge woundwort flower. The bee's head is buried up to its elongated, black compound eyes in the flower; its antennae are pulled back to enable it to access the trumpet-shaped flower. The bee is small, between 1-1.5cm in length and its generally blackish body colour is offset by the fact that it's covered in pale brown hair, which extend along the legs. The background of the image is blurred, but shows green foliage of plants with another spike of woundwort flowers to the bottom right of the photo.

Dorsal view of a flower bee resting on the edge of a raised flower bed. The bee is generally black in colour: the thorax is covered with dense, pale brown hair, while the hairs on the abdomen have a more stripey appearance. The hairs extend down the legs of the bee, making it look as though it's wearing fluffy brown trousers. Sunlight is glinting of the bee's transparent wings, which are colourless except for irregular black veins, which give them an appearance similar to stained glass.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

And then there are the #hoverflies too - not just the adults, but plenty of larvae too lurking among the roses. Throw in a #wasp or two and the occasional #damselfly nymphs lurking in the pond and things seem to be progressing well.

An anterior view of a small hoverfly approximately 8mm in length which is sitting on a cluster of pale pink thrift flowers. The hoverfly's head is bright yellow with large, rust brown compound eyes, while its thorax is a shiny metallic bronze. There are broad yellow and black stripes along its abdomen. The hoverfly's wings are transparent, but marked by distinct black veins.

A dorsal view of a small marmalade hoverfly on a bright pink red campion flower. The hoverfly is small, around 1cm in length. It has large, round compound eyes that are rust brown in colour and a dark, metallic thorax. Its abdomen is marked by alternating orange-yellow and black bands: in two segments, the black bands form a distinctive 'moustache'-like shape.

A small, slim-bodied ichneumon wasp measuring about 2cm in length. The head of the wasp is black, with long, thin, black antennae arching sideways above its compound eyes. Its thorax is also black, with a small bright yellow spot at the base adjacent to the abdomen. The long, narrow abdomen itself is bright yellow, with a black tip to the end of the tail. The jointed legs of the wasp are striped; black adjacent to the body, they alternate in black and yellow blocks to the end of the leg. Transparent wings, which are reflecting a gold colouration, are held along the length of the abdomen. The wasp is resting on the plain green leaf of a honeysuckle.

A teeny, yet vicious looking damselfly nymph. The beastie is around 1cm in length and has a positively prehistoric look. It has a broad, roughly triangular head, with two antennae extending forward away from the head: its large eyes are wide-set and facing forward. Six long, slender legs protrude from the underside of its thorax, while small wing buds extend from the back of the thorax towards the extended abdomen. The nymph is generally a rather uniform drab brown colour, although there are faint signs of darker spots on the head between the eyes.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Well, turning our backyard into a wildlife garden appears to be paying off. These are just a few of the #bees that have been spotted over the last week or so.

The foreground shows a lateral view of a small bee (~1.0-1.5cm in length). The black bee is covered in pale beige brown hair, which extends down its hind legs. Its compound eye, which is shaped like an elongated ellipse, extends along the length of its face. The short, straight antennae are being held erect in front of the bee's head. The bee has extended its proboscis to collect nectar from the deep maroon and white flower of the hedge woundwort upon which it is resting. The background of the image is blurred, but shows the foliage and flowers spikes of more hedge woundwort.

An anterior view of a small (~1.5cm) tree bumblebee. The bee is generally black in colour, with sparse black hairs scattered across its triangular-shaped head, which is about to be inserted into a white flower. The bee's compound eyes are elongated and extend along the edge of its head, while its long, jointed antennae are pointing forward. Further along its body, thick, bright ginger brown hairs covering the thorax, while its abdomen and legs are black. The background of the image is blurred and shows foliage and small white flowers.

A lateral view of leaf-cutter bee on a spindly, bright pink ragged robin flower. The bee is small, between 1-1.5cm in length and its black body colour is offset by sparse pale brownish hair on the top of its thorax, abdomen and legs. The hair on the underside of the bee's abdomen is denser and is bright orange in colour.

An early bumblebee resting on a fern leaf. The bee is around 1-1.5cm in length and is extremely hairy! The hair on its head is bright yellow, while its thorax and abdomen are marked by distinct bands of alternating bright yellow and black hair. Its legs are also hairy and are generally black fringed with yellow.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

@smartdublin.bsky.social Pssst. If you want to 'imrpove' anything, you might want to start with your spelling.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

The hoverflies were putting on a fine display last week. And, just to prove that it's worth including even a teeny pond, I found this beastie lurking in the depths...

A small hoverfly approximately 8mm in length which is sitting on a cluster of pale pink thrift flowers. The hoverfly's head is bright yellow with large, rust brown compound eyes, while its thorax is a shiny metallic bronze. There are broad yellow and black stripes along its abdomen. The hoverfly's wings are transparent, but marked by distinct black veins.

A small marmalade hoverfly on a bright pink red campion flower. The hoverfly is small, around 1cm in length. It has large, round compound eyes that are rust brown in colour and a dark, metallic thorax. Its abdomen is marked by alternating orange-yellow and black bands: in two segments, the black bands form a distinctive 'moustache'-like shape.

A small rectangular pond measuring approximately 80cm x 35cm. It contains a variety of marginal plants: narrow leaved lesser water plantain with small white flowers; pepper grass; broad oval leaves of a bog bean; water forget me not scattered with tiny blue flowers; and a miniature bullrush with tall, thin erect leaves. Feathery fronds of willow moss are growing beneath the water, while the round leaves of frogbit float on the surface.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

The effort to make even such a small space more nature-friendly is definitely being repaid. I was in the yard last week and the place was absolutely buzzing with life. In 15 minutes I counted at least six species of bees, four species of hoverflies and numerous other assorted critters.

A flower bee on a maroon and white hedge woundwort flower. The bee is small, between 1-1.5cm in length and its generally blackish body colour is offset by the fact that it's covered in pale brown hair. It also has a small yellow 'mask' between its elongated, black compound eyes. The background of the image is blurred, but shows green foliage of plants with another spike of woundwort flowers to the bottom right of the photo.

A leaf-cutter bee on a spindly, bright pink ragged robin flower. The bee is small, between 1-1.5cm in length and its black body colour is offset by sparse pale brownish hair on the top of its thorax, abdomen and legs. The hair on the underside of the bee's abdomen is denser and is bright orange in colour.

A tree bumblebee resting on a spike of tiny white valerian flowers. The bee is around 1.5cm in length and is very hairy. Its thorax is gingery brown, while its black abdomen is tipped with a white tail. Its legs, which are also hairy, are a uniform black colour.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

@lizzicollinge.bsky.social As you know, the West End of Morecambe isn't the most nature-friendly area, but I'm trying to do my bit. As my MP, can I ask you to do likewise, help @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social & @rspb.bsky.social & support the removal of Part 3 of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill.

A small back yard typical of many properties in northern England. This particular yard has six large raised beds containing an assortment of native wildflowers. At the extreme bottom left is a bog garden in which the foliage of water avens is just visible. Next to the small rectangular pond are two raised beds: in the first, both magenta bloody cranesbill and blue forget me nots are in flower. In front of that bed is a larger, lower bed in which purple and white spikes of heath woundwort and pompoms of pink thrift can be seen; although the foliage of the devils bit scabious can be seen, it is yet to flower. In the next bed, tall chicory plants are just coming into bud, while the white umbellifers of valerian and white and yellow of ox eye daisies can be seen. Behind a honeysuckle in an adjacent trough is another bed containing woodland flowers: deep maroon dusky cranesbills and bluebells, which are interspersed with ferns. Standing alone to the rear of the yard is a very large hexagonal planter containing an acer with green foliage, while in the foreground are two smaller hexagonal planters, each of which contains another acer; to the right is one with green foliage, the other with yellow leaves fringed with pink. All of the acers are surrounded by smaller plants; germander speedwell, dog violets and heath pearlwort. Between the two smaller hexagonal planters is another tiny pond. Interspersed among all of the raised beds and troughs are numerous pots containing a wide variety of plants, including: lavender; rosemary; thyme; sage; borage; a vibernum; ivy; and a small clematis or two. Right in the middle there's a stand from which various birdfeeders are hanging: a general seed feeder; a tray of mealworm; a niger seed feeder for the resident goldfinches; and an old feeder full of scraps of sheeps wool and straw to provide nesting material.

A detail of some of the raised beds shown in the first photo. Rear left: there is a tall, narrow raised bed full of forget me not plants covered in tiny blue flowers with the taller magenta blooms of bloody cranesbill behind them. Next to this is a larger, lower lying bed containing numerous spikes of red campion in full bloom and, to the rear, the broader leaves of chicory plants that are just coming into bud. Just visible behind the foliage of the chicory is a small, hexagonal bee hotel. Other assorted wildflowers growing in troughs and plant pots surrounding the raised beds include: devils bit scabious; common knapweed; bugle; valerian; ox eye daisies; honeysuckle; dusky cranesbill; bluebells; and various ferns and grasses.

A detail of another raised bed from the first photo. This particular bed has a woodland theme and is filled with plants that love shade: to the rear of the bed are the broad leaves and distinctive deep maroon flowers of dusky cranesbill; in the middle are the elongated leaves and arching flower spikes of bluebells; and the bright green fronds of hard ferns; in the foreground are the bright, vibrant green trefoil leaves of wood sorrel. Moss covered logs are buried among the plants in an attempt to create a more naturalistic environment.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

@weepondproject.bsky.social I *love* your project! We only have a small yard, but have managed to squeeze in three very wee ponds (unfortunately all raised as it wasn't possible to sink them). Not too messy yet, but hopefully they'll blend in with the overgrown wildflowers in the adjacent beds soon.

In the foreground is a small hexagonal pond measuring approximately 60cm in diameter. It contains a variety of marginal plants: a miniature bullrush with tall, thin erect leaves; water forget me not scattered with tiny blue flowers; broad oval leaves of a bog bean; pepper grass. Round leaves of frogbit float on the surface of the water. In the background to the rear left of the pond is a tall, cylindrical terracotta pot containing rosemary. Behind that is a raised bed in which a small wisteria and a rose bush are growing. Between the plants is a bee hotel and a pile of pine cones and leaves covered in old slates providing shelter for insects.

In the foreground there's a very small circular pond approximately 45cm in diameter, around the edge of which are some marginal plants: a very small brooklime; the tall, linear leaves of a flag iris; elongated green and yellow variegated leaves of a sweet flag; and a water forget me not covered in tiny blue flowers. Behind the pond stand two hexagonal planters containing small acers (Japanese maples); the one on the left has green foliage, while the one on the right has yellow leaves that are fringed in pink. Both are surrounded by blue flowering dog violets and clumps of heath pearlwort covered in absolutely teeny white flowers.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Tragically, Farage is correct. Starmer's obsession with obliterating the left of his own Party coupled with his craven cowardice in appeasing the far-right has resulted in the normalisation of the rhetoric of hate in this country. I cannot adequately express my utter contempt for the man.

Headline from The Guardian reporting an exchange during today's PMQs:

Farage says Starmer 'learning a great deal from Reform' as PM defends immigration speech - UK poloitics live.

Subheader: Reform leader asks PM to declare a national emergency at the borders.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

Absolutely gorgeous! Chahoua are *so* ridiculously cute, aren't they? Well, right up until when they finger paint their food all over their enclosure. Or take a dump in their food bowl...again. *sigh*

A juvenile male gecko (species Mniarogekko chahoua) sitting resting on a table. The gecko, which is dark olive green mottled with paler patches, is looking inquisitively at the camera with his head cocked slightly to one side.

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

I, for one, am mightily relieved that there has never been a single historic precedent where an ridiculously naive prime minister has negotiated a deal with a narcissistic, fascist leader that ultimately turned out not to be worth the paper it was written on.

Extract from the Guardian:

Q: How do you know President Trump won't just post something on Truth Social ripping this all up?

Starmer says there is a written text. He says he and Trump trust each other.

"We respect each other, the president and I, and have trusted each other through this process, each of us mandating our negotiating teams to get the best deal for our respective countries."

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

By appeasing the far-right, authoritarian regime now in power in the White House, Starmer has undermined the efforts of all those Americans so desperately working to maintain the rule of law in their country. And, in doing so, he has rejected our true allies in order to pander to a despot.

Header from the Guardian: Starmer says 'rejecting allies' will never be his approach to dealing with other countries.

In his opening remarks, Keir Starmer also included a passage understood as a dig at Ed Davey (who has been repeatedly urging Starmer to distance himself from Trump). Starmer said:

"In recent years, as idea has taken hold, that you somehow show your strength by rejecting your allies, that you shut the door, put the phone down...

I've had plenty of people urging me to do that, rather than stay in the room and fight for the interests of our country.

And I want to be absolutely crystal clear, that this is not how this government operates. It's never how we will operate. We don't storm off, we stay in the room and we negotiate."

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

Well, in the sense that her 'degree' was awarded by an institution sued by its students over allegations of fraudulent accreditation and which holds *this* ranking. www.courthousenews.com/education-fr...

Ranking from the Edurank website for the Phillips Graduate Institute showing that it is ranked:

8302 out of 14,131 in the world
2145 out of 2597 in North America
2052 out of2496 in the USA
185 out of249 in California
20 out of 31 in Los Angeles

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Owl of Impiety @dunite.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

"They won't take chicken from America" Our chickens:

Screenshot of Richard Beale's mathematical notebook showing a sketch of a chicken wearing trousers that was previously made famous by the absolute units at MERL.

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