Lost lives & #Lifelines for today’s #Leptember I just passed the site these photos were taken on. It’s been destroyed, all habitat scraped away down to dirt. I must be the only person in the world to even notice or lament the loss of that place & the homes for nature it provided.

It's nice when sometimes the wildlife comes to you. Held out my hand for this male Common Darter - and he appreciated the offer of a warm, sunny perch in the September sunshine ☺️ #odonata #dragonfly

I confess I have been a little jealous of those lucky enough to see Convolvulus Hawk Moth following the influx this year. No longer jealous - after seeing this one on my neighbour's fence in Bournemouth today ! 😁😍

Name that orchid…

The encephaloid fruiting body of Cauliflower Fungus (Sparassis crispa). Seems to be a good year for them. New Forest 09.09.25. #fungi

Hare's Foot Inkcap (Coprinopsis lagopus). New Forest 06.09.25. Wonderful how it becomes translucent as it ages!

Three hoverflies from the same genus Volucella - from left to right V.pelucans, V.zonaria and V.inanis.On Pilostegia viburnumoides (a relative of Hydrangea) in Bournemouth Gardens 04.09.25

A few Autumn Lady's-tresses on the Dorset Way verges today, 10 days ago there were none. A nice end to Summer 😃 31-8-2025. @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

I'd say it is a pretty normal year for Autumn Lady's-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) at Dawlish Warren NNR. Lots in full flower, many coming through and more to come 😃 19-8-2025. @warrenbirding.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social @rogercharding.bsky.social

A misty and magical sunrise in the New Forest 25.08.25. Perfect to see the main flush of Autumn Lady's-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis). Literally tens of thousands of spikes pushing through the parched turf. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #orchid

Spiranthes spiralis sunrise - Autumn Lady's-tresses in the New Forest 16.08.25. Thousands pushing through the dry turf and pony poo right now. Most still tight in bud - but some like this with open flower. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Astounding! Love the first photo too 🙂

A fabulous day on Braunton Burrows. Target species Spiranthes spiralis - Autumn Ladies Tresses found in several locations including one completely new to me.😁 @withylake.bsky.social @lizlouise.bsky.social @stevieparsons.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Isn't it just? These from Martin Down NNR 02.08.25

Early harvest in 2025 from what I am seeing in central southern England. Yew (Taxus baccata) on chalk downland already bearing ripe fruit. More unripened ones to come if you look closely. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A really lovely hyperchromic Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum). I was very much focused on invertebrates at the time - but this was impossible to ignore! Martin Down NNR 02.08.25 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @claytonmeadow.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Thought I saw a glimpse of pink as I exited the driveway yesterday. Confirmed this afternoon - first Cyclamen hederifolium of the season 🙂

Male Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon). A photo taken very close to where I live in Rhodes, Greece 🇬🇷

Chlakhill Blue (Lysandra Coridon) at Martin Down NNR 02.08.25. Fabulous numbers ths year!

The solo Bournemouth Autumn Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) now expanding into the classic helter-skelter shape. Bit of pollinia action too - albeit a near miss! 😉 Hopefully the showers yesterday will trigger others in the locale. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #orchid

Creeping Lady's-tresses Goodyera repens in a quiet woodland here in Deeside, Aberdeenshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

What a fabulous beast ! Volucella zonaria, the Hornet Mimic Hoverfly, the UK’s largest. #insect #hoverfly

Autumn Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) in Bournemouth today (28.07.25) with one open flower - just about! 😉 Unbelievable, as we missed pretty much all of the recent showers. They are so tough. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #orchid

Good numbers of Bog orchids (Hammarbya paludosa) on Dartmoor today. 27-7-20205. @ukorchids.bsky.social

Lovely to find a female Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus) wandering across a sandy, heathland path in East Dorset yesterday (26.07.25). Latest I've seen one, as they are normally around late May and through June.

'Wonderwall' Jersey Tiger Moths sitting out the summer heat, as am I.

Pheladenia deformis - Blue Fairy Orchid Endemic to Australia, currently starting to flower in the Perth Hills 💙 #orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #bloomscrolling

My main reason for spending almost 3 hours in a New Forest mire on 19.07.25 was to count a population of Greater/English Sundew (Drosera anglica). Decent haul of 1,300 plants. Even better was finding another colony a few hundred strong nearby! @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Marsh Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) in the New Forest 19.07.25 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Marsh Lousewort (Pedicularis palustris) with a difference! Saw this brightly variegated plant in the New Forest 19.07.25 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Another encounter with the charming Large Marsh Grasshopper (Stethophyma grossum). This 35mm adult female has a delightful dusky-pink tinge. A welcome distraction from counting 1,300 Greater Sundew! New Forest 19.07.25. #newforest #orthoptera #insect #grasshopper

Well...another new orchid species for me today. The holy grail. Epipogium aphyllum, the Ghost Orchid @1000m asl. in The Slovak Paradise National Park. Blimey, can't quite believe it. 🍻🍻 tonight 👻💜🇸🇰

Pterostylis hamiltonii - Red-Veined Shell Orchid Flowering in a Sheoak thicket in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia in June. This orchid's flowers are generally translucent with reddish brown stripes, but can rarely be green striped #orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist

For #wildflowerhour #HairyPlants challenge: this week I saw the amazing hybrid sundew Drosera x belezeana. The specialised glandular hairs form a deadly trap of thigmotropic tentacles. See ALT text for more info on this beautiful and deadly plant @bsbibotany.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Good morning from Greece! Saga rhodiensis - Predatory Bush Cricket. Photo doesn't show the scale, but Saga species are one of the largest and most impressive insects found in Europe.

Very happy bunny today! Added the Heath Beefly (Bombylius minor) to my wishlist a few months ago. This rare fly is a lowland heath specialist, and parasitises mining bee nests (Colletes). This one allowed me very close. Hartland Moor, Dorset 12.07.25 @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

The Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) is the longest (but not largest) UK species. I photographed this one at rest in the New Forest 09.07.25. Looks to be a good year for them - seen plenty around their breeding waters and the surrounding environs😊#odontata

Some fantastic days out on the lowland heaths of Dorset and the New Forest this week. Some familiar species - plus a good haul of ones new to me! Here's one I've seen but not photographed before - Hornet Robberfly (Asilus crabroniformis). Dorset 08.07.25.

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Snow Orchid (Small White Orchid) Pseudorchis albida), looking none the worse for an overnight drift.

Here's something a bit different! The larvae of the Large Heath Bagworm Moth (Pachythelia villosella). This scarce species weaves a protective case of grass/heather debris, and drags it around - similar trick to Caddis Fly. New Forest 10.07.25.

Small Red Damselfly (Coenagrium tenellum) backlit by the early morning sun in the New Forest. It favours the acidic bogs and mires of the region. Gorgeous little insect! #odonata

I spent months on this investigation and gathered docs from the UK courts, Land Registry and a French local authority, to show that Raynor and Moth Winn's story is not as they claim. @tortoisemedia.bsky.social @observeruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

The whopping-great hybrid Helleborine Epipactis x schulzei for the @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #HelleborineChallenge This is the offspring of Violet x Broad-leaved - and clearly full of hybrid vigour! Great to see these beauties with @withylake.bsky.social Wiltshire 06.07.25 #orchid

Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris) for @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #HelleborineChallenge The first one is from Wiltshire, where it unusually grows on a chalk hillside. The others are from the dune slacks of Braunton Burrows. Surely one of the UK's prettiest wildflowers☺️

Not quite in flower, but you can see where Violet Helleborine (Epipactis purpurata) gets the name from more obviously at this stage. The arching stems have a distinctive, purplish tinge. Good to see most have escaped mollusc devastation this year! @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #HelleborineChallenge

The vanilla orchid Gymnadenia rhellicani was very frequent on the ridiculously rich alpine turf in the Engadine valley, Switzerland yesterday. @naturetrek.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Always, ALWAYS check for ticks after walks in the wild. Thankfully found this not-so-little b45t4rd before it could start draining me!

Warning! Potential for mega-swarms of Harlequin Ladybirds this year. Have seen late summer/early autumn aggregations before - but never so many this early. Bournemouth Gardens 24.06.25.

Marsh Fragrant orchids (Gymnadenia densiflora) now in full flower on the Jurassic Coast, Dorset. Having smelled all three fragrant orchid species over the last few days, my favourite is most definitely this one! 23-6-2025. @ukorchids.bsky.social