Gorse flowers always add a beautiful glow to a winter #heathland walk. I was particularly taken by the delicate water droplets on the petals here. #Wildflowerhour #DailyNature @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

I had to do a double-take when I saw this Red Admiral sunbathing this afternoon! It’s always uplifting to spot a #butterfly, and this was a lovely December surprise. @savebutterflies.bsky.social #DailyNature

A Collared Earthstar for #FungiFriday. Only the third time I’ve encountered one, so very exciting. Possibly the trickiest alt text I’ve ever tried to write and I’m not sure I did it justice! #DailyNature

I encountered what I think is Insect Egg Slime Mould (Leocarpus fragilis) on a heathland wander this afternoon. I must learn more about slime moulds! #DailyNature

There’s still a little bit of purple to be found on a heathland wander! #WildflowerHour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Blue Fleabane on a Surrey heathland for this week’s #WildflowerHour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Since I saw a picture in a book a couple of years ago, I’ve been looking all over the place for Cobalt Crust. I finally spotted it in a neighbour’s front garden this afternoon! What an amazing colour 💙 I wonder how many times I’ve walked past it 🍄‍🟫 #FungiFriday #FungiFriends #DailyNature #Fungi

I was quite surprised to find some Heath Speedwell flowering on a local Hampshire heathland this week! #WildflowerHour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

This Kingfisher perched on a post in front of me for about a millisecond - long enough for one mostly in-focus photo. What an amazing bird, but a bit too whizzy for my slow reaction time! #DailyNature #Bird #Kingfisher

I finally managed to find my first ever Magpie Inkcap at the wonderful Ebernoe Common in Sussex. I’ve been looking on and off for a few years, so I let out an audible “whoop” when I saw it! #FungiFriends #FungiFriday @britmycolsoc.org.uk #Mushroom

Fencepost Jumping Spider… on a fence, but not jumping! 🕷️ @britishspiders.bsky.social #Spider #Arachtober

A beautiful Peacock #butterfly drifted past me and then paused for a precious moment on a bramble leaf. Its presence warmed me as much as the late afternoon sunshine warmed its delicate wings. @savebutterflies.bsky.social #DailyNature

On the second day of #Arachtober my true love sent to me… a Daddy Long-legs Spider drinking juice from two ladybirds 🐞🕷️🎶 @britishspiders.bsky.social #Spider #Ladybird

On the first day of #Arachtober my true love sent to me… a Fencepost Jumping Spider in my bathroom sink! 🕷️🚰 Not sure this adaptation of a classic festive song is going to catch on… but worth a go! 🎶 @britishspiders.bsky.social #Spider #JumpingSpider

Fringed Water-lily on a heathland pond. I went for arty - not quite sure I pulled it off! #WildflowerHour #DailyNature @bsbibotany.bsky.social

I found this Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing #moth in the bathroom. It challenged me to a staring competition… and won. I think not having eyelids is probably cheating! #DailyNature @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Number 1️⃣2️⃣ for the #LadybirdYearList is this bright yellow 22-spot Ladybird munching on mildew in the garden If I ever form a band (I won’t!) our first album would definitely be called Munching on Mildew! 💿🐞 #DailyNature #Ladybird

I spotted a Kestrel hunting worms in a field 🪱 Never seen that before! It also showed me its fancy feathered trousers! #DailyNature #Birds #BirdsOfPrey #Kestrel #Worm #FoodChain

I wonder if this Small Copper was aware just how close it was to major peril! 🐝🕷️🍴 #DailyNature #Butterfly #Spider @britishspiders.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Some blackberries came out of the freezer earlier on their way into a welcoming crumble. I don’t think I’ve ever looked closely at frozen blackberries before - a beautiful collection of ice crystals. #DailyNature

I almost sat on this #shieldbug earlier! I think it’s a Bronze Shieldbug final instar nymph. #DailyNature #Pentatomidae @britishbugs.bsky.social

This Crab Spider is generously offering free cuddles to passing insects. No takers so far! #DailyNature #Heathland #Heather #CrabSpider #Spider @britishspiders.bsky.social

Stonechat making the most of the sunshine in the short gaps between showers ☀️☔️ #DailyNature #Heathland #Bird

A snoozy Buff-tailed Bumblebee mulls over its plans for the day ahead. A quick gulp of #heather nectar would be the perfect start! #DailyNature #Bumblebee #Heathland #Ling

The stunning pink of a late summer #heathland landscape provides the perfect background for insect photography. This Common Blue Damselfly spent a moment resting on this Common Heather. #Odonata #Damselfly #DailyNature @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Found a fab Wasp Spider on my local #heathland this morning. It was just collecting its thoughts, when a Sand Digger Wasp got stuck in the web. The speed the wasp was incapacitated and spun into a silken bundle was amazing! 🕷️🕸️ #spider #DailyNature @britishspiders.bsky.social

I was playing Lego with my 2-year old daughter and she said “What is this?” pointing to something tiny wandering across the floor. On closer inspection, I think it might be an Ant-nest Ladybird. I should get her looking for more 🐞🐞 Number 1️⃣1️⃣ for the #LadybirdYearList @andrew-jewels.bsky.social

My attention was caught by a 7-spot #Ladybird, but as I got closer, I noticed a far smaller species - a fab Adonis’s Ladybird! The great thing about looking closely at nature is that you often spot something smaller and equally amazing 😀🐞 Number 🔟 for the #LadybirdYearList #DailyNature

I was accompanied on a wander along the South West Coast Path in South Devon by a host of Hornet Robberflies. What amazing flies with fantastic moustaches! 🥸 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Robberfly #Asilidae

I spotted an unfamiliar #ladybird at Challaborough Bay, South Devon… then saw one getting up to something with one I could identify a moment later - a 2-spot Ladybird. Mystery solved! 🐞🕵️‍♂️ I think the one that confused me was Adalia bipunctata f. sexpustulata. Number 9️⃣ for the #LadybirdYearList

This Holly Blue has been enjoying a drink from some Bell Heather. Check out its fab curly tongue! #WildflowerHour #PollinatorPals #DailyNature #Butterfly @bsbibotany.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

I spotted this tiny character on my local #heathland. It’s an Aelurillus v-insignitus (V-fronted Jumping Spider). I only find one one or two a year, so today was a special day 🕷️ 😀 #Spider #JumpingSpider #BroxheadCommon #Heathland #DailyNature @britishspiders.bsky.social

A marvellously fluffy Sycamore Moth #caterpillar coiled into a multi-pointed star shape! What an amazing insect 🐛 #TeamMoth #MothsMatter #DailyNature @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Excitingly, I spotted a Grayling egg laying. Once it had flown off, I looked for the egg. It took ages, but I eventually found it on a heather stem. I’m not sure the photo conveys the intricate beauty of the egg - Too tiny for my camera skills! #DunwichHeath #DailyNature #Heathland #Butterfly

Yellow Horned Poppy showing off its horns on the shingle at RSPB Minsmere. #WildflowerHour #ByTheSea @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Look into my eyes! 👀 I’ve got a feeling this #hoverfly was trying to hypnotise me with its magnificent gaze. Eristalinus aeneus on a fence post at RSPB #Minsmere #DailyNature

This Red Underwing was on the wall to greet me when I got home and it was huuuuuuge! It would have been the size of my hand… if my hand was smaller! 👋 #TeamMoth #DailyNature @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Quite often, when I encounter exciting things like this Ruby-tailed Wasp, I forget how to work my camera in a panic. Fortunately, this one stuck around long enough to regain my composure! What a beautiful thing it is 🐝 ❤️ #DailyNature #Wasp #CuckooWasp

Ling is bursting into flower and providing a beautiful resting place for stunning #butterflies - Like this Brown Argus. @savebutterflies.bsky.social #DailyNature #Heathland

This Tanner Beetle was showing off its awesome antennae in my local churchyard. It’s only the second time I’ve encountered one. What an awesome #beetle! #Longhorn #EastHampshire @colsocbi.bsky.social

I was out with the Wildlife Explorers group at RSPB Pulborough Brooks, looking for invertebrates and one of the children found this fab little thing! I think it’s my first ever Meadow Ladybird (Rhyzobius litura), which would be number 8️⃣ for my #LadybirdYearList🤞 #Ladybird 🐞 #InconspicuousLadybirds

Small Copper in the evening sunlight in my local church yard. Beautiful! #butterfly #DailyNature @savebutterflies.bsky.social

I saw my first ever Musk Orchids this week. So tiny! So exciting! This one was visited by a fab hoverfly - Syritta pipiens. #WildflowerHour #InsectWeek @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Silver-studded Blue sitting out the rain at a rather damp Chobham Common 🦋☔️ #Butterfly #SilverStuddedBlue #Heathland #DailyNature

I thought I’d kick off #30DaysWild with a wander round my local #heathland to listen to the birds. At one point, I could hear a Woodlark, Tree Pipit, Dartford Warbler and Stonechat filling the air with their beautiful songs. That’s got to be good for the soul! 🎶 @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social

My local heathland wander this morning was filled with freshly emerged Silver-studded Blue butterflies sunning themselves. Joyous! 🦋 #Butterfly #SilverStuddedBlue #Heathland

I think this jumping spider is an Aelurillus v-insignitus. Spotted on a Surrey heathland near Camberley this morning. Tiny and jumpy! 🕷️ @britishspiders.bsky.social #spider #heathland

It’s been a bit quiet on the ladybird front of late, but I spotted species number 5️⃣ and 6️⃣ at the weekend. Lots of 14-spots and a single 10-spot were sunning themselves on Hop leaves at a Kent farm. Plenty of Harlequin Ladybirds too. #LadybirdYearList #ladybird 🐞

It’s always a joy to spot a Green Hairstreak. Look at its stripy socks! #butterfly @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Fly on a Fly Orchid at Bonsai Bank in Kent. A wonderful place with butterflies and orchids everywhere! #WildflowerHour #orchid @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social