'Morpho Monday' Our time in Colombia has come to an end, but what a beautiful pair of butterflies to finish with on our final day in the field!

El Teide at sunset from Gran Canaria 🧡🌋 Gennaria diphylla by the thousand in the remnants of the laurisilva forest at 500-800m asl. 25/1/2026 🧡🇪🇸 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.

A mostly grey and damp day in not-so-sunny-Bournemouth. Still, there was cheer to be had even on a stroll to the shops. Lesser Celandine leaves pushing through and daffodils opening here and there. Hazel catkins were also looking splendid! @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Orchis canariensis just starting to flower on Gran Canaria today at 950m asl. Habenaria tridactylites a plenty, but going over, and a surprise Monarch butterfly 😃 💜🇪🇸 24/1/2026. @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Delightful to see the first crocus of 2026 (for me) popping up in Bournemouth Gardens today. As I got in close with the phone to capture this image, I also found my first stinging nettle of 2026. Back of my wrist is still smarting 5 hours later...🤪

The very rare hybrid of Penguin x Avocet x Meerkat - or perhaps 2 male Pintail Ducks with their arse in the air...near Lymington 10.01.26

Little Egret near Lymington - not long after sunrise 10.01.26. I still recall my utter surprise and joy at seeing my first ever one a few miles away some 40-ish years ago (not knowing they were recolonising). I said to my friend who was with me at the time: "That's a f*cking Egret!!!" 🤣

Stunning botany on Tenerife over the last couple of days 🤍🌋

My absolute favourite plant of 2025 was Opposite-leaved Pondweed Groenlandia densa, a plant that has dropped off the cliff. I found it in November in the River Ems catchment, the first record since Queen Victoria's Jubilee. She was delighted, as you can see. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Was expecting a couple of floral surprises on my Xmas Day stroll in Bournemouth - but Whitlow Grass already?! 🙂 @bsbibotany.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

The Tenerife Giant Orchid, Himantoglossum metlesicsianium, at 1100m asl. in the Corona Forrestal, Tenerife 😃💜🌋 6-12-2025. Especially for Messrs Cole and Blood ... @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

Lots of fresh Habenaria tridactylites at 1050m above Guimar on Tenerife yesterday 4-12-2025; Gennaria diphylla approaching flowering & Neotinea maculata rosettes appearing. Amazing site, somewhat treacherous. 💜🌋

Day 5 of my #orchid #AdventCalendar Here is a couple of pics of Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertianum). #OrchidsOfRhodes

Habenaria tridactylites flowering in an unreachable spot at 2998ft asl on La Gomera today 😃 @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

2nd day of December so I think 2 pics are justified! 'The Orchid of Light' - Ophrys lucis / Ophrys argolica subsp. lucis. #Orchids #OrchidsOfRhodes #AdventCalender

Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta) on oak in the New Forest 25.10.25. The fruting bodies of this species can morph, and are often more bracket-shgaped than this. They were following the contours of the fissured bark in this case. #mushroommonday

Grassland fungi for @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #wildfungihour - Octopus Stinkhorn a.k.a. Devil's Fingers (Clathrus archeri) in the New Forest 25.10.25. Has an affnity for areas of short grass where gorse has been burnt/mulched. Decent numbers this year! #mushroommonday

Forgot to post this from 11th October! A truly magnificent Bearded Tooth (Hericium erinaceus).

Proud to share that our article - Biarum persicum, a new species from Iran, and the resurrection of Biarum platyspathum (Araceae) - has just been published in the Phytotaxa journal! doi.org/10.11646/phy... Thank you to Dr. Maruf Balos and Ramiar Majidi for their nice teamwork

Terrific find Andy! 😃

Endemic to southern parts of Australia, the carnivorous Pimpernel Sundew (Drosera glanduligera) with its lovely orange flower. This one was growing on a lush bed of moss and was covered in early morning dew drops #ozflora #wildoz #fierceflora #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature

On the 30th September, after a week of pretty much 12-hour days of DIY (laminate flooring), I took a half day off. Forced myself out of bed at 6 a.m. to visit the New Forest. Well worth it to see and hear this magnificent Red Deer stag bellowing (vaping?) not long after sunrise.

A fresh Comma Butterfly feeding on Choisya ternata in Bournemouth Gardens today. Love the jagged wings!

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.