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The Riverfly Partnership

@riverflies.bsky.social
410 followers 175 following 298 posts

Working to protect UK river water quality, further the understanding of riverfly populations, and conserve riverfly species & habitats. riverflies.org Hosted by @freshwaterbio.bsky.social

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ARK - Action for the River Kennet. @riverkennet.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
After the discovery of a second Demon shrimp on the Holy Brook, ARK are raising awareness of the importance of Check Clean Dry: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... @riverflies.bsky.social
bbc.co.uk
Invasive demon shrimp discovered in Wiltshire waterway
The "highly invasive" shrimp are larger than native species and can damage ecosystems.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
🍂 The autumn equinox is here. As the days become shorter and temperatures begin to drop, our rivers are changing too – for riverflies, this is also a time of seasonal transition.
Autumn is arriving. So do riverflies change with the seasons?Earlier in the summer, you might find some large larvae in your sample. Spring and summer peak times for many species to emerge as adults, so those larger are nearly ready to go. You might be lucky enough to spot one emerging from your sampling tray!As autumn arrives, riverfly numbers and diversity may naturally be lower at some sites. Many species have already emerged, while others are present as eggs or very small larvae. So your autumn sample may look quite different from one taken earlier in the year.Seasonal change is part of the picture when we interpret what we find in our rivers.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Spotted again by an eagle-eyed Riverfly monitor!
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Riverfly surveyors: if you spot signal crayfish, killer/demon shrimp, or zebra mussels — don't touch or move it. Photo it, note the spot, report via iRecord/INNS Mapper, then Check Clean Dry your kit.
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The Rivers Trust @theriverstrust.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Big River Watch has begun! To join the UK & Ireland's biggest visual survey of river health: 📱 Download the free Big River Watch app 🐟 Enjoy time by a river recording what you see 📆 Submit your surveys by the end of 24th Sept We can't wait to see your observations on our live Big River Watch map!
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Michael Wilson @mikewilsonuk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
#Riverflies are ‘canaries of the river’. Monitoring #Riverfly populations is a great way to evaluate river health. Completed my training with the Tweed Foundation. My journey began when listening to Robert Macfarlane talk about his book, ‘Is A River Alive’, last August. @riverflies.bsky.social
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Welcome and congratulations on becoming a Riverfly Monitor! @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social has inspired a fair few people to seek out Riverfly training days since his tour last year ☺️
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Guardians of the Tweed @tweedguardians.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
📢A spot has opened up on the Tweed Foundation's next riverfly training course 📆 Tuesday 15 September 10am-5pm in Norham 🌐 You can find out more details on our website (rivertweed.org.uk/tweed-founda...) 📧 If you would like to join please send me an email echapman@tweedfoundation.org.uk
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Craving more freshwater news in between our bi-monthly Riverfly Partnership newsletters? Our host organisation, the FBA, sends theirs out monthly – you can read the latest issue here 💧
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A common misconception is that Riverfly monitoring is only for those living in rural areas, with access to gorgeous streams teeming with fly life... The Urban Riverfly scheme was developed to allow more meaningful monitoring to be done on rivers where sensitive riverflies are less commonly found.
An introduction to Urban Riverfly14 groups of invertebrates are counted in Urban Riverfly surveys. The RMI eight, plus six other groups not counted in standard Riverfly surveys.Why the six extra groups? They are more pollution-tolerant, making Urban Riverfly ideal for urban and modified rivers where riverfly numbers tend to be lower. 

In Urban Riverfly scoring, abundances of pollution-tolerant invertebrates impact the score negatively. 

Urban Riverfly scores can be used to provide a more detailed picture of the changes in river environments, particularly in areas that would consistently get low RMI scores.Who can do Urban Riverfly surveys? Urban Riverfly can be a starting point for new monitors – no experience needed! You just need to attend an Urban Riverfly training day. E-mail info@riverflies.org to find your local hub. If you’re already a trained Riverfly monitor, and you think your site would benefit from Urban Riverfly monitoring, you can upskill to learn to ID the extra groups – just contact your hub 
co-ordinator for more information. Other than that, the methodology is the same as RMI.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The August 2026 newsletter has now been sent out! If you're not on our mailing list, don't worry – you can read the latest issue and sign up for future updates at www.riverflies.org/newsletters
August 2026 Riverfly Partnership newsletter out now!
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Freshwater Biological Association @freshwaterbio.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Did you know... there are presently no existing protections for freshwater ecosystems from underwater acoustic pollution? We were delighted to catch up with Jess Lister a PhD student @edinburghnapier.bsky.social at our ASM to hear more about her research spotlighting this issue. youtu.be/DAS35zn4C9k
youtu.be
In conversation with Jess Lister, PhD student, at the ASM 2026
YouTube video by Freshwater Biological Association
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
We've got a whole range of Riverfly-themed products at riverflies.teemill.com 👕🧢📔 If you'd like to support our work, buy some sustainable goods, and represent the Riverfly Partnership while you're out and about, then check out our online store! 🛍️
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Reposted by The Riverfly Partnership
Inishowen Rivers Trust @inishowenrivers.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
A great day on the Bredagh River for our Kick Sampling Training with Lisa Kirkwood from the Riverfly Partnership! We learned how to collect and identify riverfly species and use them to monitor river health. Thanks to everyone who took part! #CitizenScience @riverflies.bsky.social
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
📢 Calling all Riverfly monitors! With so much of the UK currently experiencing drought, here's a reminder about what to do if the water level has drastically dropped at your Riverfly site this summer. www.riverflies.org/summer-surve...
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
☀️ Trying to keep kids occupied this summer? Why not treat them to a trip down to the river to look at some creepy-crawlies? If that leaves them wanting more riverfly fun, we've got colouring-in sheets, word searches and more that can be downloaded for free at riverflies.org/childrensactivities 🖍️
Colouring-in, word search and activity sheets
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Reposted by The Riverfly Partnership
Steve Thackeray @thackers.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Interested in water quality & citizen science? Then, you'll like our newly updated Bloomin' Algae app: www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/... You can help us understand where and when blooms occur, and alert the community. #freshwater #CitizenScience #algae #UKCEH_AquaEco @ukceh.bsky.social 🧪🦠🌊🚣‍♀️👀🧪🦠🌊🚣‍♀️👀🧪
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Teign Angling & Conservation Association @thetaca.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
👀 What are you seeing on your river? Dead fish, pollution, unusual flows or wildlife behaving oddly? In this weather, your observations matter and can make a real difference. Read more 👇 www.thetaca.com/news/what-ar... 📞 EA Incident Hotline: 0800 80 70 60 (24/7)
thetaca.com
What are you seeing? — TACA
One of the things I've come to realise over the past few years is just how much time people spend beside rivers. Anglers, obviously, when we can! But also dog walkers, runners, photographers, birdwat...
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Reposted by The Riverfly Partnership
Butterfly Conservation @savebutterflies.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The Big Butterfly Count 2026 is here and butterflies need our help! 🦋 From now until 9 August, spend just 15 minutes outside counting the butterflies you see and help us take nature's pulse. The best part? Anyone, anywhere can take part. Count yourself in 👉 butrfli.es/3SVFepj
Close-up of a Peacock butterfly feeding on purple buddleia flowers against a light pink and purple background. Large text at the top reads "Count me in". Logo for Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count at the bottom. Image by Gundula Vogal
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
🔎 We have all sorts of useful resources for Riverfly monitors on our website! 💧 If you've ever wanted to understand the 'RMI Eight' in more depth, such as why these are the groups that get counted, and what the presence and absence of each group might indicate, then check out this handy explainer.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
🚨 A reminder for all Riverfly monitors on what to do if you get a trigger level breach! ⌚ Remember, for it to count as a "confirmed trigger level breach", you need have done a second sample within 48 hours. Be sure to select 'Second sample' when inputting it to the database.
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Freshwater Biological Association @freshwaterbio.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Greetings river health warriors... and heartfelt thanks to all involved in Riverfly Monitoring! ✨ It is a pleasure to announce that, following ongoing success, the Environment Agency has committed to a further 3 years of funding to support the Riverfly Partnership. 💙 www.fba.org.uk/fba-voice/th...
fba.org.uk
The Riverfly Partnership’s year of impact: Extending community support for freshwaters with the Environment Agency — Freshwater Biological Association
The Riverfly Partnership, hosted by the FBA, continues to empower communities to protect and restore rivers across the UK. Over the past year (April 2025 – March 2026), the initiative, with support fr...
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Our June newsletter is out now! If you'd like to read it, or sign up to our mailing list so future issues come directly to your inbox, go to riverflies.org/newsletters.
What's in the latest Riverfly Partnership newsletter? Summer sampling guidance, meet the Riverfly monitor, meet the ecology contact, non-native species guidance
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Guardians of the Tweed @tweedguardians.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
East Berwickshire now has a great team of citizen scientists ready to monitor river health throughout the region. @riverflies.bsky.social If you would like to join a riverfly monitoring group in Eyemouth, Reston, or elsewhere in the Eye & Tweed catchments let me know
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david-nicholson.bsky.social @david-nicholson.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Did some riverfly sampling training in Eyemouth today with @riverflies.bsky.social Good fun and looking forward to setting up a new regular monitoring site near my home.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
🛑 If river water levels fall too low to get invertebrates into the net, don't attempt a kick sample. However, please still log a survey on the database, showing you weren't able to sample. ☀️ For full guidance on summertime Riverfly surveys, please see riverflies.org/summer-survey-guidance.
Water levels too low to do a kick sample? Don't take a sample, and submit a survey to the database with the 'Sample taken?' box unticked
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
These photos were shared with the Environment Agency, who confirmed this was the first demon shrimp recorded on the Holy Brook 🔍 Info on non-native shrimps can be found at www.riverflies.org/keydocuments/#infoformonitors Always remember: check, clean, dry! 🫧 📸: John Sharpe @riverkennet.bsky.social
Action for the River Kennet volunteers recently found this demon shrimp in their Riverfly sample. Would you know how to spot one in yours? Note the striped body and two conical projections on the tail.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Looking forward to hearing this talk about stoneflies and their 'paradiddle'! The FBA's Annual Scientific Meeting is next week at Edinburgh Napier and we'll be there - there are still tickets if you'd like to join us 💧
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
This Biological Recording Company (@biologicalrecording.co.uk) talk last week, about riverflies in Ireland, was fascinating. Definitely worth a watch if you're interested in learning more about the diversity of riverflies and their habitats. 💧 biologicalrecording.co.uk/2026/05/28/u...
biologicalrecording.co.uk
Underexplored Freshwater Habitats in Ireland: Case Studies Using Riverflies
Ireland’s freshwater landscape encompasses over 12,000 lakes and extensive river networks, primarily shaped by Pleistocene glaciation. Standard aquatic surveys consistently target riffle zone…
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Freshwater Biological Association @freshwaterbio.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Calling all freshwater science fans! Have you registered for our Annual Scientific Meeting? The ASM is in Edinburgh on Thursday 11 June. We would love you to join us! The ASM has an inspiring line-up including a keynote from Bernd Hänfling. Find out more & register! www.fba.org.uk/annual-scien...
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Save Our Swale @saveourswale.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Save Our Swale Exhibition in Catterick Library in collaboration with CRACCL until 22nd June.. What Does The River Swale Mean To Us All? #richmondsnippets
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
This olive, found by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust volunteers, is so pale because it's recently moulted. Riverfly larvae undergo a number of moults as they grow. Each stage between moults is called an 'instar'. At the start of an instar, before the exoskeleton hardens, the larva is pale and soft. 🌟
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Nice to see BBC News shining a light on Buglife's Riverfly monitoring in Scotland! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Peebles river detectives part of network tackling pollution
Hundreds of volunteers survey Scotland's watercourses and report any issues of concern quickly.
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Ver Valley Society @vervalleysoc.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
One measure of the #RiverVer health is the abundance of invertebrates living in the river. Every month a dedicated team of 20 volunteers survey nearly 20 spots along the Ver to check that all is well. @chilternstreams.bsky.social @riverflies.bsky.social
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Trent Rivers Trust @trentriverstrust.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
“We’re creating a mosaic of habitats – jewels linked by long watercourses. It’s a nature-based recovery; we’re just prompting it.” If you, too, feel that positive stories are in short supply, this tale about people coming together might just brighten your day. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
The English community that brought its river back from the brink: ‘If we can get it right here, we can do it everywhere’
For 150 years, the Mease had been altered by human hands, which destroyed habitats. But in 2013, a restoration project began – and now its wetlands are abuzz with wildlife
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
The RPHQ team will be in attendance - particularly looking forward to the riverfly-related talks!
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Hundreds of our Riverfly monitors were originally trained by Stuart Crofts. He's long been a fantastic champion of the Riverfly Partnership, and this is a lovely interview with him by the FBA.
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Matthew Wright @matthew-wright.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
I’m now a qualified river fly monitor! Will be making regular checks on a local stream to identify and count the little critters that live there in order to better understand and counter pollution. Run by @riverflies.bsky.social best day I’ve had in yonks 😍
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Our host organisation, @freshwaterbio.bsky.social, has its Annual Scientific Meeting on Thursday 11 June at Edinburgh Napier University. This year’s theme will cover a range of new approaches being used for freshwater science. Buy your tickets at www.fba.org.uk/shop/p/annual-scientific-meeting-2026
fba.org.uk
FBA Annual Scientific Meeting on 11 June 2026, Edinburgh Napier University — Freshwater Biological Association
We are delighted to announce that the 2026 ASM, in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University, will be shining a light on ‘Emerging approaches for freshwater science’.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
It was fantastic to see the Chilterns Chalk Stream hub demonstrating Riverfly monitoring on Countryfile at the weekend! You can catch the episode on iPlayer here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
bbc.co.uk
Countryfile - The Chalk of the Chilterns
Matt Baker and Vick Hope explore the chalk landscapes of the Chilterns, where rare grasslands, seasonal streams and specialised wildlife all depend on the fragile ground beneath their feet.
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Love the slow-motion videos of dancing mayflies in this.
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Freshwater Biological Association @freshwaterbio.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
We invite you to take a cool freshwater plunge this Monitoring Monday... as we rejoice in rivers & the Realm of the Riverfly! Interested in becoming a guardian of your local #river as a citizen scientist #riverfly monitor? Find out more on the Riverfly Partnership website: www.riverflies.org
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Ellie Mackay @ellie-mackay.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Fantastic start to the @riverflies.bsky.social sampling season at Hall Beck on the river Kent. Lots of lively larvae of #stoneflies, #mayflies and #caddisflies, including our first #Ephemera at this site. #citizenscience #freshwater
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Our latest newsletter is out now! Read it and sign up for future newsletters here: www.riverflies.org/newsletters
Snippet of the April 2026 Riverfly Partnership newsletter
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
A great find!
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Barnes Common @barnescommon.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Our Riverfly volunteers this weekend got a little local help from a pair of Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata) who paddled past the session. At these monthly sessions, counting the number of certain invertebrates gives us valuable information about the health of Beverley Brook @riverflies.bsky.social
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Did you catch the first episode of Secret Garden on the BBC over the Easter weekend? There was a lovely segment about mayflies about halfway through - well worth a watch! www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
bbc.co.uk
Secret Garden - Series 1: 1. Oxfordshire
David Attenborough reveals the lives of kingfishers, otters and other animals whose home is a river garden. Life here seems idyllic, but all are at the mercy of seasonal floods.
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Freshwater Biological Association @freshwaterbio.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Today we're celebrating Riverfly Monitoring Monday! Monitoring is an excellent way to protect #river health by supporting local community engagement, #citizenscience collaboration & sustainability for our #freshwaterecosystems. Please visit @riverflies.bsky.social for more info: www.riverflies.org
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Justin Evens and the Wildlife Groundswell team have grown Riverfly monitoring on the Lizard from 9 volunteers to 27 sites monitored by 13 teams. 👏 Thank you to all involved! Read more about Justin's story: mailchi.mp/ce74216537da/riverfly-pa…
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The Riverfly Partnership @riverflies.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Exciting news for new Riverfly groups! Thanks to generous fundraising by Cressbrook & Litton Flyfishers Club and support from NHBS, the Riverfly Kit Bursary is available to help new monitoring groups get started. 📝 Find out more and apply here: www.riverflies.org/riverfly-kit-bur…
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