iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Fantastic views of Bottle-nosed Dolphins on Friday at Torry Battery. Shame other things didn’t work out so well!

Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Back from an excellent few days in Anglesey with plenty of sightings of Risso’s and Common Dolphins plus Porpoise Grey Seals and Red Squirrel 🙂

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Sorry for the rubbish photos but I found myself a new hoverfly yesterday in North Staffs, Furry Pond Fly - Sericomyia superbiens. Definitely something to shout about! #Diptera #Hoverflies

A mid size orange coloured
Hoverfly with a yellow face and black eyes and legs sitting on yellowing leaves with a green woodland background

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

A wonderful day insecting around Betley Mere yesterday. Glad to have finally caught up with the Clouded Yellow invasion also Beautiful Carpet Mesoleuca albicillata was a new moth for me 🙂

A Clouded Yellow of the form helice. A pale yellow butterfly with black, white and orange spots perched on a purple scabious flower

Clouded Yellow a bright yellow butterfly with black, white and orange spots perched on a purple scabious flower

Beautiful Carpet, Mesoleuca albicillata. An attractive moth with a dark cloak around its shoulders silvery centres to the wings and grey bands towards the tailing edge of the wing. This one sitting on a green bramble leaf

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

A fantastic day catching up with some insects at the weekend on Cannock Chase. The highlights all happen to be flies. Species in alt text

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

The Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus is back in my Mum’s garden again. Pretty much the only place I ever see them 🙂

Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus a rufous fly with a curious habit of folding its abdomen forward underneath its body. This one sitting amongst green leaves

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

I love adding a new ladybird to my list, 24 Spot Ladybird - Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata found today in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

24 Spot Ladybird - Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata, a small orange ladybird with a scattering of black spots crawling over exposed coastal rocks

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

A Fantastic start to a week away from work out with the local bat group on Saturday, loads of Natterer's bats and a couple of Noctule seen but the highlight was my first Brandt's bat 😁✅

Brandt's bat in the expert hands of a licensed bat recorder. Just the head and tips of the wings are visible

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Grasshopper Warbler, one of favourite species and always a pleasure to hear. It’s not often I see them and even rarer to get a picture 🙂 🪶

A small brown and streaky warbler with reddish legs a pale throat and a faint stripe over the dark eye

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Loving this Gooden's Nomad Bee - Nomada goodeniana from a few weeks ago 🙂

A small black bee with yellow and black stripes on the abdomen and orange tibiae and antennae with a background of yellow and green cowslips

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Gymnocheta viridis, a new Parasite Fly found today on a #CityNatureChallenge event at Staffordshire University

Gymnocheta viridis, an iridescent green and bronze fly sitting on a sunlit green leaf

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

I seems like Epistrophe eligans is having a good year so perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that 2 have turned up in my garden for the first time! #Diptera #fly #hoverfly

Epistrophe eligans a sparkling bronze and orange hoverfly perched on a green leaf

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Eurydema oleracea, Brassica Shieldbug in my mum’s garden today- not often I get a new species of Shieldbug so very pleased!😁

Eurydema oleracea, Brassica Shieldbug a small shiny black bug in the shape of a shield with white spots and stripes plus a white trim. Sitting on bright green leaves

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Loving the Hairy-footed Flower Bees - Anthophora plumipes in my Mum’s garden at the moment 🙂

Hairy-footed Flower Bee - Anthophora plumipes a male looking out of a circular nest hole in brickwork

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Work moth of the day today probably can’t get much better! Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini, found first thing this morning when I nearly trod on it. #teammoth

Clifden Nonpareil, a large grey moth with impressive blue and black hind wings

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Ok everyone is there any help with this one out there, I think this large ( c.2 cm ) and striking insect could be a Tenthredo but I admit I am struggling so any ID suggestions appreciated. Seen in North Staffs at the weekend @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

A large slim black and yellow fly with silvery wings and long antenna sitting amongst green leaves

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Another new species for my Mum’s garden today, Red-thighed St Mark's Fly - Bibio pomonae

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

A very pleasant day trip to Nottinghamshire yesterday and 3 flys that I don’t often record were the highlight, 2 hoverfly and 1 Tachinid. Ferdinandea cuprea, Dasysyrphus tricinctus and Phasia hemiptera

Ferdinandea cuprea, a hoverfly with a brassy looking abdomen, grey stripes on its thorax and two wing 'clouds' on each wing

Dasysyrphus tricinctus, a mostly back hoverfly with 3 bands of yellow on the abdomen in a distinctive pattern

Phasia hemiptera, a very dark Tachinid fly with deep red eyes and a dark and light pattern on its wings

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Work moth of the day today was this Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pheosia gnoma almost 4 years to the day since i found Swallow Prominent in the same spot #teammoth

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

The latest in a long list of amazing insects I have found in my Mum’s wonderful garden - Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus 😁

Ferruginous Bee-Grabber, Sicus ferrugineus a dark red fly with a yellow face and an abdomen that curls forwards under the rest of the body feeding on a bright purple Scabious flower

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Work moth of the day today was this female Ghost Moth, Hepialus humuli a nice surprise as I walked out onto the yard for the first time #teammoth

Ghost Moth, Hepialus humuli a very attractive orange moth with intricate darker lines and blotches and a furry thorax

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Spent some time watching this fabulous Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri in a North Staffs garden this afternoon 🙂

Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri a good sized black and white Hoverfly with 3 curved white bars on its tail and silvery wings held spread to either side

Pied Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri a good sized black and white Hoverfly this time with a head on view

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

As pretty as any butterfly - Latticed Heath, Chiasmia clathrata from yesterday. #TeamMoth

Latticed Heath, Chiasmia clathrata a pretty little moth mainly white but with an intricate pattern of black checks and lines

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

A new hoverfly for me on Thursday, Eristalis intricaria, another of the bumblebee mimics and this one quite convincing as mimics go 🙂

A black and white hoverfly feeding on a purple Scabious flower

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

White-letter hairstreak found last weekend in Staffordshire. Only the third I have ever seen and my first self found- happy days! 😀

A small dark grey butterfly with distinctive white streaks on both wings and an orange border to the hind wing, 2 white tipped tails also on the hind wing. This one is feeding from a bramble flower

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

June has been particularly good for reptiles and amphibians this year, 5 days in Hamps/Dorset certainly helped with 3 lizard species seen during this break plus Adder and Grass Snake. Then the following weekend a Slow Worm was found in Shropshire.

Sand Lizard, a small brown lizard with stripes running down its back and dark spots with a white centres along its flank.

Common Lizard, another small lizard again with pale stripes down its back but also a rich brown stripe down its flank which extends to form a mask around the eye

Wall Lizard, a larger lizard with a long tail. Bright green in colour but with black areas around its eye and chin

Slow Worm. A legless lizard resembling a small snake, it is bronzy brown all over and this one is hiding its head in moss

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

By my standards last night was a good catch with NFL Figure of Eighty - Tethea ocularis and NFG Pebble Hook-tip -Drepana falcataria being the highlights also Clouded Border - Lomaspilis marinate are always pretty 🙂 #TeamMoth

Figure of Eighty an attractive brown moth with a white mark resembling the number 80 on each wing

Pebble Hook-tip another attractive moth with hooked wing tips and an orange colour

Clouded Border a pretty little moth mainly white but with a dark grey border

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Another visit and another 2 species recorded for my Mum’s garden 🙂. Figwort Weevil - Cionus scrophulariae which I have just found out also feeds on Buddleja and the hoverfly Platycheirus granditarsus

Figwort Weevil - Cionus scrophularia a tiny grey beetle with a black dot in the centre feeding on a Buddleja flower head

Platycheirus granditarsus a small shiny hoverfly with an orange tail and glossy head and thorax

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Not a great night’s mothing last night with only a handful visiting the trap but Dusky Brocade, Apamea remissa was new for the garden. #teammoth

Dusky Brocade, Apamea remissa an attractive mottled grey moth taken against a red tile background

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

It’s been a great week for insect in my Mum’s garden this week with 2 NFG Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris and Meadow Plant Bug - Leptopterna dolabrata plus a new for life Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata

Fork Tailed Flower Bee - Anthophora furcata a grey and ginger bee with a yellow face

Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris a black and orange hoverfly that is an excellent mimic for a bumblebee

Meadow Plant Bug - Leptopterna dolabrata a small black and yellow bug perched face down on a grass stem

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

On a mini break to the New Forest area and ran the moth trap last night. Nothing outstanding with 18/11 but best for me was Brussels Lace, Cleorodes lichenaria which we just don’t get back home #teamMoth

Brussels Lace, Cleorodes lichenaria an intricately patterned grey, gold and black moth with it’s wings spread wide to the sides

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

A case of plant it and they will come today when I found this Tephritis neesii on the Oxeye daisies, we only seeded these daisies in the garden 3 years ago and this is the food plant for this fly 🙂

A very small grey fly with black patterning on its wings sitting on a green stem of Oxeye Daisy

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Not something you see everyday, a queen Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum plus 2 suitors

A queen Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum with 2 male Tree Bumblebee trying to mate with her amongst green leaves. All bees are black with gingery brown backs and a white tail.

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Some recent insects found at my Mum’s garden, it really is remarkable the diversity of insects to be found in this suburban garden. Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris, Woundwort Shieldbug - Eysarcoris venustissimus and Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum

Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris, a black bodied hoverfly with a ginger collar and white tail

Woundwort Shieldbug, 2 bronze coloured bugs attached together at the rear sitting on a green leaf

Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum a long slim insect with pale blue bands down its tail

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

2 excellent beetles from the weekend just gone. An impressive Lesser stag beetle - Dorcus parallelipipedus and the ever popular Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn - Agapanthia villosoviridescens. Both found in Staffordshire

Lesser Stag Beetle, an impressive black beetle with strong jaws against a background of pale wood

Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle, a yellow and black beetle with long black and white banded antennae sitting on a green nettle leaf

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

My moth trap continues to disappoint lately but I recently got a new species of caddisfly, Phryganea grandis. The largest British caddisfly apparently!

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

My new favourite hoverfly from the weekend Common Dainty, Baccha elongata

A small slim hoverfly with red eyes and a yellowish band towards the end of its tail sitting on a green leaf

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

The highlight of my weekend was finding my first Wasp Beetle, Clytus arietis for Staffordshire 😀

Wasp Beetle, a striking black and yellow striped beetle with orange legs sitting on a green leaf

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Agreed one of the best flies there is in my opinion

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Love these Red Mason Bees - Osmia bicornis, great little hairy things

A small hairy bee perched vertically on a pebble wall Red Mason Bee - Osmia bicornis

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Pebble Hook-tip - Drepana falcataria and Green Long-horn - Adela reaumurella found during a walk around Cannock Chase on Saturday, please excuse the terrible photos of the Hook-tip it was high in the trees. #teammoth

The underside of a Pebble Hook-tip high in a tree, an orange moth against dark green tree bark

The upper side of a Pebble Hook-tip moth high in a tree silhouetted against a bright sky

Adela reaumurella, Green Longhorn moth, a shiny moth with long black and white antenna amongst bright green leaves

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

A really smart Nomad Bee found in North Staffs today, shame I’ll never be able to get it down to species

A dark red Nomad Bee with a yellow banded tail sitting on sand

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

This Tawny Mining Bee - Andrena fulva certainly seemed to be enjoying the late evening sunshine in the garden this evening 🌞

A Tawny Mining Bee sitting on a green and yellow Ivy leaf in the afternoon sunshine

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

The #localbigyear list keeps ticking along 2 Green Sandpiper being the latest also good to get some insects enjoying the sunshine #Bee-fly 🪶 #ukbirding

Green Sandpiper feeding in the muddy flood margin

Green-veined White Butterfly on a forest floor

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

A very pleasant long weekend on Anglesey just gone, plenty of good weather and things to see. Highlights: Adder, Lizard, Porpoise, Black Redstart, Lapland Bunting, Oil Beetles, Seals and a fantastic male Merlin 😁

A female brown and black coloured Adder with a zigzag pattern blends in well with its heathland habitat

A green and black lizard spreads itself to catch the sunlight

A male and female Oil Beetle doing what comes naturally

Grey Seal bobbing about amongst the waves

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Male Hairy-footed Flower Bee - Anthophora plumipes showing a bit of leg in the garden this afternoon 🙂

An orange and brown Male Hairy-footed Flower Bee - Anthophora plumipes sunning itself on a backdrop of variegated ivy leaves

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

First summer visitor of the year today with a Little-Ringed Plover found on a local flood a nice addition to my #localbigyear list. 🪶 #ukbirding

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

An excellent day on Cannock Chase Wednesday the highlight was undoubtedly the 6 Adders found trying to make the most of the weak sunlight 🪶 #ukbirding

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Lincolnshire yesterday my first new bird of 2025. Hopefully the first of many!

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Richard Sutton @rjsutton1975.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

First moth of the year disturbed during a work party in Notts yesterday, Acleris cristana or Tufted Tortrix. A moth tick for me 🙂 #MothsMatter #TeamMoth

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