A great surprise earlier this week - one of my photos gained a second place in the annual Close Up Photographer of the Year @cupoty.bsky.social awards 😃. An unexpected result amongst some amazing photographers. www.cupoty.com to see the stunning finalists and winners. #macrophotography #omsystem

It's not really been the weather for macro photography recently 🌧🌧🌧 so I took to the beach for the first time in ages. A few hours at Charmouth and some great nodules collected. Looking forward to getting stuck into the prepping - should be some good ones. #fossils #ammonites #jurassiccoast

A Buzzing Spider (Anyphaena accentuata) found in some local woods just after dark 🔦. #omsystemuk #macrophotography #ukspiders

A pair of mating slugs found on a local woodland floor. #gastropod #slugs #macrophotography #ukwildlife #OM-1 #dorsetwildlife #forestfloor

A resting dew-laden damselfly taken early on a cool summer morning. #Macrophotography #odonata #damselfly #ukwildlife

A pair of Robber Flies. This shot of a mating pair was taken back in August in Norfolk, UK. @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social #robberfly #ukwildlife #omsystem #Norfolkwildlife #macrophotography

I grabbed my phone, a clip-on macro lens and focussed on the smaller fungi (and a slime mould) in a wet Dorset wood. See ALT text for more detail 😎 Powerstock NR 1/11/25 #dorset #fungi @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

🦋 Just one week left to enter the #InsectWeek Photography Competition! From bees to beetles, moths to mantids - every image tells a story. Don’t miss your chance to share yours 📸 🗓️ Deadline: 31 October 🔽 🔗 buff.ly/NrRy462 T&Cs apply. #Photography #Competition #PhotographyCompetition #Entomology

A scene I'd been hoping to find for some time and finally got the chance back in the summer at RSPB Minsmere. This Robber Fly was preoccupied enough to let me get a few stacked shots before flying off. @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social #robberfly #ukwildlife #omsystem #Suffolkwildlife #rspbminsmere

A recent bucket-lister find😀. A Green Huntsman (Micrommata virescens) female guarding her egg sac 💚. Luckily, she'd made her retreat under some bracken and I could turn it over without causing any damage. @britishspiders.bsky.social #macrophotography #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife #omsystem

A mystery egg I found in my garden a few weeks ago hatched and grew into this amazing Puss Moth (Cerura vinula) caterpillar😃. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @royentsoc.bsky.social @omsystem.bsky.social #ukwildlife #teammoth

Want to see some amazing #InsectPhotography up close? Visit World Museum Liverpool for the Royal Entomological Society Photo Exhibition - Find the exhibition between 16 June and 20 July 2025 in the Museum’s Bug House gallery. Plan your visit 🔽 buff.ly/JE09ZYa #InsectWeek #Entomology #Photography

Successful hunting for these two Thomisus onustus from Dorset. I love the variation in colour of these spiders - everything from white, through various shades of pink, deep burgundy and purple or even bright yellow🩷🤍💛💜 @britishspiders.bsky.social #om-1 #dorsetwildlife #ukwildlife #macrophotography

Look who I found hiding in a rhododendron flower on the heath a few days ago 💚🌸 I was looking for Heather Crab Spiders, but this little scene was a welcome bonus. #macrophotography #entomology #insects #omsystem #om-1 #dorsetwildlife #ukwildlife

Misumena vatia colour change. Two weeks after I posted this yellow spider, I found her again on a nearby bramble flower where she'd turned white. The red markings remain unchanged. @britishspiders.bsky.social #Misumenavatia #macrophotography @omsystem.bsky.social

A rather special 'rhubarb-and-custard' Thomisus onustus spider I found a couple of weeks ago. I haven't adjusted the colours - she really was that bright (see the last pic taken on my phone) @britishspiders.bsky.social #Thomisusonustus #om1 #omsystem #macrophotography #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife

A pair of Silver-studded Blues at Rempstone Heath, Dorset last weekend. #ukwildlife #ukbutterflies @savebutterflies.bsky.social #macrophotography #omsystem

Yesterday's star find - a beautiful, pastel coloured, Thomisus onustus (Heather Crab Spider). She was sitting amongst the heather with her prey as the sun removed the last of the morning dew. #teammoth #dorsetwildlife @britishspiders.bsky.social #OMsystem #ukwildlife @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

A Green Pug (Pasiphila rectangulata) I found in my garden yesterday🤎💚🙂 #teammoth #ukwildlife #ukmoths

Striped Hawk-moth to light in the North Hampshire garden last night 🤯 Photo courtesy of Mrs J. #TeamMoth #MigrantMothUK

Wow! This definitely was not on my radar as I strolled around Cogden (VC9) earlier this evening: Striped Hawkmoth! Top-drawer in-the-field moth encounter! 😎 @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #TeamMoth Extra motivation to get the trap out tonight... 😄

Silver-studded Blues coming out with a rush now. They stand out like jewels amongst the dull heathland vegetation @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Look who I found while out exploring today! There were three, yellow, female Misumena vatia in this area. Only this one had the added red stripes on the side of her abdomen 💛❤️💚. #spiders #arachnids #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife #macrophotography #OMSystem

Pholcus phalangioides or the Cellar Spider, commonly found in UK homes in the corner of ceilings. Although very common it's not a native to the UK and was first recorded in 1864. Look out for the females carrying their egg sac around😃. #UKWildlife #arachnids @britishspiders.bsky.social #Spiders

A 24-spot ladybird (Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata). #ladybirdyearlist 6️⃣ #coleoptera #ladybird #ukwildlife #gardenwildlife #macrophotography

Larva of a parasitic wasp - likely a Euplectrus. The eggs are laid under the surface of the host and the larvae stay in that location until they're mature and pupate. Rather unfortunate for the caterpillar. #entomology #parasite #wasp #bugs #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife @royentsoc.bsky.social

Here's a better shot of the Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)😀 I found last night While I was taking this shot, I could hear the churring of a nightjar amongst the gorse. Nice to know they're about again. @savebutterflies.bsky.social #entomology #macrophotography #ukwildlife #butterflies

A few finds from last night and early this morning. These are phone pics but I've got plenty of detailed shots to edit😀. 🟢Grizzled Skipper, a first for me 🟢Caterpillar with what looks like parasitic wasp eggs 🟢Dew covered dragonfly (Skimmer?)😍 #entomology #dragonfly #parasites #butterflies

As the weather warms up more of these little stunners will show themselves. If you can find where they spend the night, and you're early enough, they will stay (relatively😅) still. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #macro #damselfly #omsystem #ukwildlife #macrophotography #odonata

Well it's that time of year again ☹️. First bite of the year yesterday and several larger individuals seen out and about. These photos are some that I took around this time last year. #arachnids #ticks #macrophotography #macro

A wonderfully marked Gibbaranea gibbosa (Humped Orbweb Spider) I found on an evening hunt recently. 📍Dorset, UK #macrophotography #macro #spiders #ukwildlife #om-1 #OMSystem

Another early morning shot. This time a Furrow Orbweaver spider (Larinioides cornutus) in her neat litte den, waiting for the sun to dry her out. #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife #arachnids #macro #macrophotography #OM-1 #OMSystem

Up early today and caught some morning dew collecting on the hairs of an Eristalis sp hoverfly. #dorsetwildlife #ukwildlife #macrophotography #macro #entomology #omsystem #dewdrops

I was lucky enough to find this resting Nomad Bee in my garden yesterday evening. These are one of the Cuckoo Bees, laying their eggs in the nests of mining bees. #macro #macrophotography #ukwildlife #gardenwildlife #dorsetwildlife #bees #nomadbee #OMSystem #OM-1

An Angle Shades moth (Phlogophora meticulosa) from the garden a few nights ago. #teammoth #macro #macrophotography #dorsetwildlife #ukwildlife #gardenwildlife

One from the garden last night. A Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis). A normally really skittish spider, it's unlikely that I'd have gotten close enough for this shot in daylight. @britishspiders.bsky.social #arachnids #spiders #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife #macrophotography #omsystems

A Southern Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium depressum) Isopod no. 5 for the garden. #isopod #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife #gardenwildlife #macrophotography #OMSystem

Loads of hoverflies around recently. This female was resting overnight on some blackberries in my garden. The eyes are the clue to whether it's male or female - a male's eyes meet in the middle of the head. #macrophotography #OM-1 #Gardenwildlife #ukwildlife #entomology

A beautiful Lichen Running Crab Spider (Philodromus margaritatus) found at RSPB Arne last week. #arachnids @rspb.bsky.social #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife #OM-1 #macrophotography

Platyrhinus resinosus, Scarce Fungus Weevil (it's not that scarce) or, an even better name, Cramp-ball Fungus Weevil. A spectacular beetle found under bark yesterday, photographed then left in peace. #UKWildlife #Coleoptera #Weevil

Wiglets! 😃 It really made me smile when I found out that baby earwigs are called wiglets. More recently I discovered that the females stay around to protect their eggs and young. #entomology #bugs #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife

We’ve landed on Bluesky! 🐉✨ Here to share the beauty of dragonflies, conservation updates, and ways you can help protect these incredible insects. Follow us for news, ID tips, and stunning sightings! #BritishDragonflies

First damselflies of the year spotted on Sunday😃. Two Large Red Damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) seen on the Purbeck heathland and I managed to grab a few shots of this one. #macrophotography #odonata @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #ukwildlife #dorsetwildlife

Thanks to @wheatersdave.bsky.social and @ruthnewby.bsky.social for spotting my incorrect ID on the moth portrait. Here's a side shot of the same moth. Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)

Been a while since I did a moth portrait. I think this little one is a Setaceous Hebrew character (Xestia c-nigrum) found resting in my parents' garden last week. #macrophotography #teammoth #OMSysytem #OM-1 #gardenwildlife #ukwildlife

A Clubiona corticalis spider for today... #spiders #arachnids #OM-1 #OMSystems #macrophotography #macro #gardenwildlife

This unusual spider is a Spitting Spider (Scyctodes thoracica). A new species for me and a very welcome find on an after-dark mooch around the garden. One of the few UK spiders with only 6 eyes. @britishspiders.bsky.social #gardenwildlife #ukspiders #arachnids #OM-1

A 16-spot ladybird (Tytthaspis sedecipunctata). I didn't notice until after I'd taken the shot, but the blur in the foreground was the first tick I've seen this year🫤 #ladybirdyearlist 5️⃣ #coleoptera #ladybird #ukwildlife #gardenwildlife #macrophotography

someone asked me the other day what these ant crickets "do" the genus name Myrmecophilus suggests that they "love ants" .. they live with ants. they can evade ant defenses via "chemical camouflage", masking themselves using surface chemicals (cuticular hydrocarbons) produced by the ants themselves

First time seeing an Ant Woodlouse (Platyarthrus Hoffmannseggii). I spotted this one and a few others in an ant nest under a garden paving slab yesterday. No eyes on these little ones 👀! Isopod no.4 for the garden #isopods #ukwildlife #gardenwildlife #macrophotography