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Simon Knott

@sjbknott.bsky.social
875 followers 362 following 434 posts

Birds, Chess, Coleoptera, Flora, Moths, R&I, Syrphidae, Stratiomyidae et al. Slowly rewilding Herts garden & trying to photograph its fauna & flora.

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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Seems to be much better year for forestieri. After some years absence in Bengeo garden, since 31st July they have been appearing in numbers at light trap here with maximum count of 8.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Re-appeared in garden after some years' absence & regular at woodland light trap for last two months.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
You will see many more, record numbers here in Herts this year. Species is quite synanthropic turning up on house walls & even coming indoors.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Colin Plant explained to me the difficulty of using black Sc. It starts green & changes to black. Therefore if specimen is still teneral it will not show this.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Banded Pine Carpet (Pungeleria capreolaria) last night in Bengeo, 1st record for Herts. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social
Banded Pine Carpet (Pungeleria capreolaria)
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Fox (Vulpes vulpes) today in Bengeo garden. 2nd year in residence & present this year since late April. Completely tolerant of me, it only shows any agitation if I accidently disturb it. It has never been fed so perhaps this is an example of behavioural change as Fox density rises.
Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Rhyparochromus vulgaris found today indoors next to laptop.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Pogonocherus hispidus today in Bengeo garden. This attractive species has very long season. It is therefore often first & last longhorn beetle recorded here during year. #Cerambycidae #saproxylic
Pogonocherus hispidus
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Main patch of Ivy (Hedera helix) is just coming into flower in Bengeo garden & Stomorhina lunata ♂ back in residence today on same branch that was occupied by another male last year. Highly migratory species that originates from N Africa & seems to be using grasshoppers in UK as its host. #LocustFly
Stomorhina lunata male
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides' "Field Guide to the Grasshoppers & Allies of Great Britain & Ireland" published this year has 30-page section on Cockroaches which should be of help.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Variable Cockroach (Planuncus tingitanus s.l.) ♂ found last Thursday in Bengeo garden, it has been spreading north in Europe reaching UK in 2011. Outdoor cockroaches such as this are harmless unlike indoor pest species. @kitenet.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social #attractedtolight #climatechange
Variable Cockroach (Planuncus tingitanus s.l.) male
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Nysius senecionis is associated with Fleabane.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Hot nights sometimes produce spectacular visitors: Stricticollis tobias last Friday in Bengeo garden, scarce ant-like flower beetle. 3rd confirmed Herts record & all to light traps. @bugmanjones.bsky.social @nottscoleoptera.bsky.social @kitenet.bsky.social #Anthicidae #attractedtolight
Stricticollis tobias
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Recorded 1st for Herts here in 2019. Species along with various other coastal carabids is able to disperse further on really hot nights. As these become more frequent with climate change it is appearing more often at light traps & moving steadily north.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Conops quadrifasciatus ♀ today in Bengeo garden, conopid parasitoid of Bombus bumblebees & superb mimic of Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris). @flygirlnhm.bsky.social
Conops quadrifasciatus female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Saved some Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) from ravages of Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) larvae. Drought-resistant, it is vital source of nectar for bees & hoverflies. Heteroptera also like it: Stictopleurus punctatonervosus & Nysius senecionis mating pair today in Bengeo garden. @britishbugs.bsky.social
Stictopleurus punctatonervosusNysius senecionis mating pair
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria) x2 & Cydia amplana in Bengeo on Wednesday night. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth
Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria)Cydia amplana
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Breckland Plume (Oxyptilus distans) found Tuesday night in Bengeo, really attractive micro. @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth
 Breckland Plume (Oxyptilus distans)
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Some lovely hovers, especially C.spinolae.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Willow Emerald Damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis) ♀ today in Bengeo garden. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Willow Emerald Damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis) female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Geotrupes spiniger today in Bengeo garden, large beetle associated with cow dung on old grasslands. Until you explore nocturnal fauna by light trapping, one is unaware that such magnificent species are present. @bugmanjones.bsky.social #CommonDumbleDor #Geotrupidae #attractedtolight
Geotrupes spiniger
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Isn't that female on right?
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Brachycarenus tigrinus today in Bengeo garden, associated with hot, dry, well-drained soils. 1st observed in UK at Battersea in 2003 by @bugmanjones.bsky.social & now spreading northwards. 6th species of rhopalid bug recorded here. @britishbugs.bsky.social @rockwolf74.bsky.social #Rhopalidae
Brachycarenus tigrinus
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Females are identifiable by combination of enormous size (body length - 20mm, wing length 16mm) & prominent greyish spots on abdomen.
Tabanus autumnalis female rear view
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Tabanus autumnalis ♀ today in Bengeo garden, massive horsefly associated with marshland & Herts rarity. Easily largest fly I have seen in garden. 6th tabanid species recorded here. @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social #Tabanidae
Tabanus autumnalis female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Volucella inanis female.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Same happened here in 2025, so this year I protected three out of 30+ Ragwort plants by systematically removing & relocating any caterpillars that appeared on them. Two plants currently in flower & plenty of Heriades truncorum.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
I hardly see C.cautum. In last 14 years, only three or four sightings locally with single garden record. Not recorded since 2020. C.verralli annual in garden.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
You have probably had more without realising it. They like dense vegetation & are easy to miss as their flight is so wasp-like. Commonest Chrysotoxum locally but rarely seen unless you spend plenty of time in rank grassland.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
As always eyes are fantastic.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) ♀ today in Bengeo garden. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Polistichus connexus yesterday in Bengeo garden, really attractive coastal carabid beetle. Once regarded as rare but now disperses on hot July nights & is increasingly recorded at light traps. @carabidaeuk.bsky.social #attractedtolight #climatechange
Polistichus connexus
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
In these heat waves, I have now stopped using moth trap as so much dies overnight. Instead just use light source (2X20W) with various vertical & horizontal sheets. This arrangement seems to be better for bycatch. Coleoptera can exceed 30 Species on best nights.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Record Ledra every year here but it's possible that species has two year life-cycle like Centrotus cornutus. In that case there would be two cohorts but in your area only one of these cohorts would be present.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Thorax with strong black markings with small hooks fits dorsalis perfectly. Claws simple seems to confirm. Looked online at number of examples of dorsalis, black vein is often not apparent which perhaps explains why Colin Plant's key takes you to dorsalis twice.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Chrysopa dorsalis yesterday in Bengeo garden, rare lacewing associated with Pines. One of two green lacewing species with significant darkened markings on head & body. Head pattern distinguishes it from much commoner perla. @kitenet.bsky.social #Neuroptera #attractedtolight
Chrysopa dorsalisChrysopa dorsalis head pattern which confirms ID
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
They can play dead which gives a rather different perspective.
Ledra aurita underside
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Ledra aurita yesterday in Bengeo garden, Britain's largest leafhopper & associated with Oak. Their camouflage is exceptional ensuring their almost complete invisibility in oak foliage.
Ledra aurita
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Fine for Polistichus connexus, one of coastal carabids that disperses considerable distances inland on very hot nights. They are now found increasingly often at light traps & recorded one here in Herts last night.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Oxycera nigricornis ♂ today in Bengeo garden, attractive tiny aquatic soldierfly. @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social #Stratiomyidae #attractedtolight
Oxycera nigricornis male
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Rhyzobius lophanthae found yesterday in Bengeo garden, Herts. 23rd species of Ladybird recorded here. @ukladybirds.bsky.social @andrew-jewels.bsky.social #attractedtolight
Rhyzobius lophanthae
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Goniglossum wiedemanni appears here every so often & prospers until arrival of Utetes testaceus. After which, G.wiedemanni may disappear & U.testaceus also vanishes. Eventually Goniglossum wiedemanni re-appears & cycle starts over again. This perhaps explains why Goniglossum wiedemanni is scarce.
Goniglossum wiedemanni
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
White Bryony (Bryonia dioica) is special plant with its own bee, ladybird, moth & picture-wing fly. These support other unique species. Utetes testaceus ♀ today in Bengeo garden, braconid wasp parasitoid of Goniglossum wiedemanni, picture-wing fly. @haggewoods.bsky.social @rlewington2.bsky.social
Utetes testaceus female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) ♀ has recently taken up residence in bone-dry Bengeo garden, note black legs provide easy ID. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) feeding on Buddleia (Buddleja davidii) today in Bengeo garden, now annual visitor here. @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social
Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Along with Sehirus morio, UK fauna is changing before eyes.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Xylotrechus antilope ♀ from Tuesday night in Bengeo garden, attractive European species of oak longhorn beetle. Recorded here now for last three years & strongly indicative of successful colonisation. @bugmanjones.bsky.social @nottscoleoptera.bsky.social #Cerambycidae #attractedtolight #saproxylic
Xylotrechus antilope female
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Wonderful strategy of females waiting on white flowers for unsuspecting bees which they grab with their mandibles & only release once bee is back at its nest.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Only found at manure/compost heaps & at light. "It is certainly very under-recorded due to its habitat requirements"(Orthoptera & Dermaptera by@vc40orthops.bsky.social) In Herts, it is typical very warm night species that turns up in numbers. Have recorded it every month from June to September here.
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Simon Knott @sjbknott.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Regular to light in June-September on very warm nights. By-catch can produce spectacular species such as Prionus coriarius, Reduvius personatus & Stauropoctonus bombycivorus. Next Tuesday to Thursday nights should see exceptional conditions.
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