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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Garry Pogson @garrypogson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Little flora around at Vanbrugh Pits, Greenwich today - so looked like 1 Speckled Wood would be it. Then saw 1 small stem of ragwort - with a Brown Argus and Small Copper. Then another 2xSC turned up - then one of them started turning purple! Memorable! @joebeale.bsky.social @dustygedge.bsky.social

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Recording at Stave Hill Ecological Park (Rotherhithe, VC Surrey) in July produced plenty of interesting moths. A Dark Crimson Underwing was one highlight.

The beautifully camouflaged upperwings of a Dark Crimson Underwing moth at rest.

A Dark Crimson Underwing moth partially opens its wings to reveal its outrageously bright pink-red and black hindwings.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Recording at Stave Hill Ecological Park (Rotherhithe, VC Surrey) has produced some lovely sights: Stratiomys potamida soldierfly, migrant Pearly Underwing, Caloptilia cuculipennella, and a superbly coloured Acrobasis tumidana, a favourite of mine - and not many VC Surrey records. #TeamMoth

A richly coloured Acrobasis tumidana, likely a migrant, resting on a piece of wood. It is rather slender with red and ochre colours, a black and white band across the middle, and raised scales forming a ridge along this band.

Boldy striped, yellow and black, large soldierfly Stratiomys potamida - aka the Banded General - rests in a glass tube while being photographed.

The head end of a Pearly Underwing moth - a migrant - showing its reddish brown colour with classic whitish raised scales in 'mohican' style on the top of its head.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Greenwich light-trap has produced Eupachygaster tarsalis each of the 3 times I've trapped (4 f, 1 m); the best year for me for this overlooked species, generally overshadowing the moths. I did have a Phtheochroa schreibersiana in May for the moths @kitenet.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social

Golden and dark mottled micro moth Phtheochroa schreibersiana resting in a glass tube.

A small, chunky, and infrequently recorded black soldierfly Eupachygaster tarsalis on a whitish background.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Martin Harvey @kitenet.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

From the garden light trap last week: Scarce Black #soldierfly (Eupachygaster tarsalis) male & female, first time I've seen this species here in 20-odd years of trapping. @joebeale.bsky.social & others have also reported them from light traps. @vc28nature.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social

A side view of the female Scarce Black soldierfly, on a leaf, with head to the left. Note the sharp rim around the scutellum.

A side view of the male Scarce Black soldierfly, on a leaf, with head to the right. Also has a sharp rim around the scutellum (less clear in this photo).

Comparison between females of Eupachygaster tarsalis (Scarce Black) and the more widespread Pachygaster atra (Dark-winged Black).

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

With awful news (e.g. Planning Bill), I escape in nature. #Greenwich: Moth trap (12th) - Feathered Thorn + 2 Udea ferrugalis (at last a little for @migrantmothuk.bsky.social!). 3 Teal on Park lake briefly (Oct) - until fountain began; my 1st autumn Ashy Mining Bee (Sept) a sign of the climate times.

Autumn Ashy Mining Bee on ivy in late September - normally a species I see in spring/early summer

One of three Teal, small migratory ducks, on the Park lake in mid October - until the fountain came on and scared them off

Udea ferrugalis, a small migratory moth, attracted to light traps on 12th Nov during a warm southerly airflow

Close up of a Feathered Thorn moth, a large autumnal species, on 12th November - showing the male's golden-orange feathery antennae

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

Irreplaceable habitats are on the line. This is the reality if an unamended Part 3 of the Bill passes. It must not.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Dusty Gedge @dustygedge.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

Found me a lesser-spotted #woodpeckers nest in last week. 1st in 23 yr used to nest around here i#blackheath #greenwich #lewisham - why not anymore? Mix of joy/sadness This 1 is for @joebeale.bsky.social youtu.be/W8zSOszVqCg #birds #nature #wildlife #UrbanNature #urbanwildlife

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My first Lesser-spotted woodpecker nest in 20 Years – in Italy! 🪵🔭🪶

YouTube video by Dusty Gedge

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

There's a fair chance of finding something interesting if you look at insects - like this Least Black Arches moth. Few Greenwich records, but it has increased nationally. Blackheath this a.m: a Yellow Wagtail paused on migration to catch insects amongst Dandelions. A benefit of less intense mowing!

Close up of a Least Black Arches moth - a small but attractive moth, finely patterned in black and white

A Least Black Arches moth - a small but attractive moth, finely patterned with chevrons and wavy lines in black and white

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

Well here's #mothfaceFriday. A Centre-barred Sallow looking a bit socially uncomfortable.

A fluffy-faced Centre-barred Sallow moth with what appears to be a slightly alarmed look on its face.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Dusty Gedge @dustygedge.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

A Wall on a Wall - had a #butterfly discovery a few days ago on #blackheath this video goes into detail about said butterfly and its population collapse in London +shout 4 g8 book link in reply#SE #england 4 @joebeale.bsky.social @garrypogson.bsky.social @katemidd.bsky.social youtu.be/fIIDLeYczkw

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Amazing Butterfly Discovery Right on the Wall!

YouTube video by Dusty Gedge

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Apparently #mothfaceFriday is a thing. Well here's one (Elephant Hawk) from Greenwich last summer.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

The Dark-edged Bee-flies are back Ted. #Greenwich today.

A Bee-fly hovers as it sips nectar from a Celandine flower.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Garry Pogson @garrypogson.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

My first Comma and first Brimstone of 2025, about 10 yards apart, at Vanbrugh Pits, Greenwich thurs lunchtime. Several years now the same bramble patch has yielded my first comma of the year @joebeale.bsky.social @dustygedge.bsky.social

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Dusty Gedge @dustygedge.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

If you live in #lewisham #deptford #blackheath #greenwich or anywhere else #selondon a little video ad for a talk I will be doing locally on #nature #wildlife #birds #greenroofs and #greencities as a local #geezer @joebeale.bsky.social @dohertyta.bsky.social @katemidd.bsky.social

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Kent Field Club @kentfieldclub.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Old Park in Canterbury is a superb area of acid grassland with a flora including Harebell, Bedstraw (or Clove-scented) Broomrape & Mossy Stonecrop, & loads of Nightingales. The MoD owns it and has put it up for sale. Join the campaign to save this extraordinary site canterburyoldpark.org.uk

The pale blue flowers of Harebell, with grass in the foreground and branbles behind.

A pink flowerhead of Bedstraw Broomrape, amongst grass.

Creeping, red-green stems of Mossy Stonecrop, growing amongst stones and isolated grasses.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

London Natural History Society @lnhs.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

So excited to see this in print🥳 Congratulations Leslie for a very comprehensive guide on London's butterfly species👏 From species distributions to conservation efforts, if you want to ID butterfly species or conserve them, then this is the guide for you🦋📖 www.naturebureau.co.uk/the-butterfl...

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

London Natural History Society @lnhs.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Hello Bluesky! We've just joined and are looking forward to meeting likeminded societies and people! The LNHS is a local natural history society concerned with recording the wildlife of London, covering a 20-mile radius from St. Paul's Cathedral. #UKWildlife #LondonWildlife

A lovely male tufted duck photographed at Hampstead Heath in January. It is floating in a greenish pond, and is mainly black with white on the side of his abdomen. His head is black with some purple irridescence, his beak is grey and his eye yellow. He is facing to the right.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Good news for Swanscombe SSSI's exceptional wildlife, and for the local community! Swanscombe - a site rich in natural wonders, from orchids to Nightingales - has been under threat for years from an ill-conceived theme park. Also nice to see my photo in use 🙂 community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/rs...

community.rspb.org.uk

Swanscombe Peninsula outcome showcases the power of your dedicated campaigning

“The RSPB is delighted that Swanscombe Peninsula has been saved for wildlife - it is an amazing Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), alive with birds, wildflowers

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Thanks very much to the Vanbrugh Volunteers who helped with a bit of habitat management in #Greenwich on Sunday. It's to maintain a dynamic mix of habitats of varying structure, openness, and stages of growth, to maximise the benefit to wildlife. We also cleared a fair bit of litter!

Volunteers managing some Gorse at Vanbrugh Pits, Greenwich, to start the process of regrowth, to maintain a dynamic mix of heights and ages of scrub. This allows wildflowers and grasses to grow in the temporary clearing before the Gorse grows back.

Volunteers pushing the bramble line back to help maintain the rough grassland and create some sunny open spots for invertebrates at Vanbrugh Pits, Greenwich.

A great bunch of people, those who were still there at the end of the volunteer session! Thanks to our volunteers we are keeping the habitat dynamic where possible, allowing a varied mix of vegetation types, open spaces, dense scrub and regrowth. This helps to maximise the value for invertebrates and to prevent the habitat becoming uniform.

Small Copper butterfly is one of the many insects that benefits from habitat work at Vanbrugh Pits (this photo was taken not far away in a previous summer, and is for illustrative purposes here). They are small orange and black butterflies that are resident at Vanbrugh Pits. They lay eggs on Sheep's Sorrel, which grows amongst the Gorse stumps before it regrows. They feed at ragwort and other flowers, which also appreciate sunny clearings that result from the habitat work. We look forward to seeing them again in May.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

kmfm news @kmfmnews.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

VIDEO: Buglife are among conservation groups welcoming news the company behind plans for a theme park on the Swanscombe peninsula has gone into liquidation #kmfmnews

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Rather Good Art @rathergoodart.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

The Eric Ravilious Wood Engraving Postcard Collection (Selborne). Six beautiful postcards featuring wood engravings produced by Eric Ravilious to illustrate an edition of his favourite book, ‘A Natural History of Selborne’. www.rathergoodart.co.uk/product/eric... #ericravilious #rathergoodart

Six wood engravings by Eric Ravilious, created for the book 'A Natural History of Selborne' by Gilbert White.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Some beautiful insects from 2024 in #Greenwich_Park. Brindled Green new to the Park, Ferdinandea cuprea hoverfly on a tree trunk also likely new for the site, Metalampra italica a small #moth also new here but spreading and frequent; larvae may eat fungi. Oak Hook-tip, a finely patterned species.

Brindled Green, a superbly camouflaged moth with greens, blacks, greys and some orange-pink.

Ferdinandea cuprea, a large woodland hoverfly with a golden abdomen, that likes damaged wood with sap.

Metalampra italica, a small ginger moth with straw-yellow lines and blotches.

Oak Hook-tip, a perfect individual with orange, grey and black shading.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Florence @florencewilkinson.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

In the spirit of Christmas (and seeing as I’m new here) I thought I’d host a little #giveaway. For the chance to win* a signed copy of my book, Wild City, which came out in paperback this year: 1. Share this post 2. Comment with your favourite wild species that you’ve spotted in an urban setting!

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

Other work by the Ladybird artists ‘Gusty Twilight’ Artist: CF Tunnicliffe

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Brigit Strawbridge @brigitstrawbridge.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

'E' is for.... Eider! Eiders - by Lancaster artist and printmaker, John Hatton I've been looking forward to 'E' so I can post this gorgeous linocut! More of this artist's beautiful work, here: johnhattonart.co.uk #AlphabetBirds #birdart #birds #art 🪶

Linocut or two Eider ducks in the sea, with seaweed

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

On Bluesky the group of people following is smaller than on X, but engagment here seems better. If you are following me here and I haven't reciprocated and you'd like me to, please let me know!

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

The last moth trap of the year last night, four species in very mild conditions included a December Moth and an Oak Rustic - seemingly 1st #Greenwich record. The reniform stigma is much more subtle and varied when seen under magnification than it appears at first glance. #teammoth

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

More 2024 moths and a #snipefly from #Greenwich. Light Brocade, Rhagio lineola first Greenwich record since 1943, Black Rustic and Feathered Thorn looking autumnal, and a gorgeous Acleris kochiella (c16mm); 1st Greenwich Park record. I love its raised scales resembling rough tree bark. #teammoth

Light Brocade moth showing its attractive grey, buff, black and rufous markings.

A snipe fly with dark thorax and orange abdomen Rhagio lineola, not rare but still the first Greenwich record since the 1940s apparently. Attracted to light trap. Moth traps are useful not just for moth records!

Autumn moths Black Rustic and Feathered Thorn resting on a dead leaf, as placed there by me. The Black Rustic would be better camouflaged amongst leaf litter with its shadows and different colours of decaying leaf, but the Feathered Thorn's yellow-brown colouration works fairly well here on this plain background.

Elm Tortix Acleris kochiella is only around 15 to 18mm long, but to me it is beautiful with some scales raised to look like rough bark. Apparently new to Greenwich Park this year.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Clancy's Rustic became frequent in #Greenwich in 2024. This moth wasn't even listed for Greenwich Park/Blackheath in my 2023 review! Rambur's Pied Shieldbug also seems well established. Yellow-legged Clearwing isn't new but it's good to chance upon one rather than using a lure. #Londonwildlife

A black-and-white Rambur's Pied Shieldbug looks very smart perched on a leaf of Ballota nigra in Greenwich Park, summer 2024.

A yellow-legged Clearwing ovipositing on a standing damaged tree trunk in Greenwich Park. An excellent wasp mimic with its yellow and black markings and quick movements. Another reason to value damaged and decaying trees!

Three Clancy's Rustic moths jostle for space on a leaf. Greenwich Park, 2024. A new arrival a little over a years or so ago, but is already frequent.

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Reposted by Joseph Beale

Will George @willgeorge.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Around 80 people in the UK naturalists starter pack now. I must be missing a bunch of people, let me know if you're one of them or know someone who should be in here go.bsky.app/DeyPecR

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

The London Naturalist (journal of the London Natural History Society - worth joining if keen on London's wildlife) 2024 covers many topics, including my paper on #Greenwich soldierflies and allies. Here's a link to an online version of that paper if of interest: www.researchgate.net/profile/Joe-....

The London Naturalist 2024, issue 103, the journal of the London Natural History Society.

Dioctria rufipes, a handsome robber fly, poised in vegetation to ambush passing insect prey, Greenwich Park.

Eupachygaster tarsalis, a small black soldierfly that needs rotting wood and in infrequently recorded.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Bluesky seems OK so far. One downside, unless I'm missing something, is lack of some location information in bio. If a post says "good to see x bird/moth/etc in the park", it's trickier to find out if the sighting is in my region and worth looking out for, or at the other end of the country.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Yesterday's full moon was apparently a 'Woodcock moon', so here are some beautiful Woodcock feathers I found at Salthouse shingle, Norfolk, a few days ago - all that's left of two migrants, presumably predated, perhaps by a Great Black-backed Gull or Peregrine. Love the bright white tips under some!

Woodcock feathers, showing a complex pattern of rufous, black, and bright white tips under some feathers.

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Greenwich didn't see much of the migrant moth influx to S/E coasts or the key species associated with it. Greenwich's 2nd Jersey Mocha, after one in 2022. The cinnamon-tinted Cydia amplana - few previously, but several this year. But are they overlooked residents? #teammoth #moths #greenwichwildlife

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Joseph Beale @joebeale.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

I've set up an account here, which will be mainly about SE London wildlife, with occasional forays further afield. I can't promise there won't be some politics too, however! To start off, here's a gorgeous Merveille du Jour and Barred Sallow from late October in Greenwich Park.

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