iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I watched a female Holly blue today, very busy amongst Ivy flowers on a sunny wall in Swanage. I don't think I have ever seen one as late in the year. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Fascinating day at Numatic international- home of the famous 'Henry'. The face came about at s trade show in the 70s when some staff drew a face on the vacuum they had on show and people liked it. Rare glimpse into British manufacturing. Thank you @makeuk.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Courting Wall Brown butterflies in our front garden today. Central Dorset. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Second brood Wall Brown have done really well in our tiny front garden meadow in the last couple of weeks. They do love a warm path. As I begin to cut it, I will leave the Devils-bit for a while yet. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Lots of heavily marked female Common blues on the transect today in North Dorset. Clouded yellow still out in impressive numbers also, 31 seen. Devils-bit scabious and Fleabane the nectar of choice. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Eucan Dorset midweek volunteers helped us yesterday to get some fiddly vegetation clearance done amongst many Marsh fritillary larval webs. I can't thank them enough. share.google/kXXBklJqjPLr... @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Chuck a few bob in this direction if you can..... gofund.me/399427ea8

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Common blue second brood is peaking in north Dorset, and it is proving to be a good show. 46 on transect today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

This suckering Aspen is proving some good forage for the cattle in this drought.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

A dash of rain could not be more welcome, but it will take weeks of the stuff to heal the cracks in the Oxford clay in the Blackmoor Vale.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Yes, you have my permission. Thank you for asking. Please send a link when the page goes live.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

White form of Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria) amongst plenty of the usual pink/purple. North Dorset. @dorsetflora.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

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Reposted by Wren Franklin

The Species Recovery Trust @speciesrecovery.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

This beetle runs so fast it goes blind 💨 A thread for our #SpeciesOfTheWeek ⤵️

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Harvesting Common spotted orchid seed amongst numerous 2nd brood Common blue this morning in the the Blackmoor Vale. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) looking resplendent in full flower as the pond water disappears from around it. North Dorset. @dorsetflora.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Of course the eggs batches and resultant webs are in some of the sunniest areas and the plants are suffering far worse than nearby plants in the shade. It seemed that the webs were more sprawling than usual perhaps in an effort to locate better food plants.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Sneezewort and Marsh mallow looking good despite the drought in north Dorset today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @dorsetflora.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Started to survey Marsh fritillary larval webs today. This site had 42 webs last year. In 1.5 hours today, I found 50 in about .5ha, BUT the food plants are really suffering from drought - mostly crispy already. What are the ramifications? @martinswarren.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

It's interesting, you would think that they would fare worse up on the chalk but I guess they adapt in some way to cope.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Grean news. What is the Devils-bit looking like? In the Blackmoor Vale the leaves are looking very drought stressed. I wonder how this effects the palitability.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Ain't no party like a Wild carrot party!

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Dyers greenweed (Genista tinctoria) seed harvesting today, pods just starting to pop. 3 hours in the greenhouse and things are getting explosive. Without the mesh cover we would come back to a seed covered floor! Future Green hairstreak food. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Joined at morning coffee by a Small tortoiseshell. Far from common in the garden these days. I love the tiger pattern on the leading edge of the fore wing. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Back in the spring of this year, I posted about carpets of Oak seedlings following the 2025 mast year. Most are now not faring well against drought and mildew.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Today, I led a @dorsetflora.bsky.social field meeting to record plants on some unrecorded chalk grassland in north Dorset. 111 species, 27 Dorset notables. At some points the butterflies stole the show! Thanks @jostephen.bsky.social for your help.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Seeds are beginning to come in. Yellow rattle, Kidney vetch and Cowslip. Easy conditions for harvest with all this dry, calm weather.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

A couple of interesting observations from north Dorset today - many Purple, White-letter and Brown hairstreak down at flowers or other moisture sources. Second brood Dingy skipper out in number. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Gatekeeper is having a super year in north Dorset. There must have been 50 on this bank, nectaring on wild marjoram. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Look at the quality of that camouflage!

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Very grey Marbled green (Nyctobrya muralis) on my back door frame tonight. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Weasel's snout (Misopates orontium) growing on my mums vegetable patch in north Dorset. @dorsetflora.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

This Hummingbird hawk-moth has spent ages nectaring on Feild scabious in our garden over recent days. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Thank you, I'll have a crack at it.

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Great find, any tips for searching for them as I manage an area with large quantities of DGW and would like to try for them?

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Another fascinating visit to the @durotrigesdig.bsky.social dig near Winterbourne Kingston. They are discovering so much about late iron age culture and the arrival of Roman people in Dorset. Thank you all for sharing what you are discovering. @bournemouthuni.bsky.social

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Wren Franklin @wrenfranklin.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

The front garden meadow is reaching a high summer crescendo right now. These few square meters bring our family untold joy. @dorsetflora.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

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