Visited Stotfold, Beds Green-flowered Helleborines only to find whole colony (and significant area of woodland floor) in the process of being trashed by dumping of waste soil from a nearby development. Work now stopped til Mon when I'll have to try to speak with council... @ukorchids.bsky.social

'Sad Fairy' called Bubopsis andromache

A female Chrysotoxum verralli (Verrall's Spearhorn) on mint flowers half an hour ago. Only my 2nd garden record of this localised wasp mimicking hoverfly. #FlyDayFriday #Dipera #Syrphidae #Hoverflies

100s of Chalk Hill Blues, Polyommatus coridon, at Birling Gap nr. Beachy Head, East Sussex, South Downs. As they name suggests, entirely restricted to Southern calcareous grassland. Although they are listed as vulnerable when the adults emerge from mid July, huge numbers can be seen on chalk hills!

One of the best bees! Love watching them excavating their nests

@dankaszeta.bsky.social @emily1collins.bsky.social Someone on this thread is blocking replies! Unfortunately there's no straightforward way to get to Bedgebury by public transport. I dont drive so when I occasionally do an event there, staff or volunteers living in TW have to help me out with a lift

There's one large patch of Field Bindweed on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour

The three common thistles on Tunbridge Wells Common - Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle. #wildflowerhour

Bell Heather coming out on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour

This male Purple Hairstreak Butterfly Favonius quercus was the first member of its species to have been recorded in a small London park on 8th July. The park's biodiversity has been significantly improved by the adoption of a more enlightened management regime.

Forget the No-Mow May nonsense and go No-Mow March-September and your garden too could be full of Gatekeepers, Pyronia tithonus, if you give them the long grasses they need to breed on. #Butterflies #Lepidoptera #VC55

Lucky enough too, to see the delightful Broom Hedgehog Aphid (Clenocallis setosa) influentialpoints.com/Gallery/Cten.... Thanks to VB & JB for a glorious day. @norfolknats.bsky.social

This unusual form of the common earwig is said to be especially frequent on Scilly

Leptometopa latipes (Milichiidae)...2-3mm freeloader fly. Seem to be few records nationally, but conservative estimate of 5000 today at Bempton Cliffs, where I suspect they associate with seabird guano. They were all over the cliff edge hand rails! @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social

Who said moths are dull and eat clothes? Royal Mail stamps issue, release date 9th July

Green Hairstreaks and Silver-studded Blues at Wheal Busy this afternoon. The latter has a fairly small population at this site, which has contracted in recent years, so I'm pleased that they are still persisting.

Dark Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus) seen near my front door in Laois last night, on her back kicking initially, and up correct later on (I was too scared to turn her over!). This is the heaviest fly in Europe.

Extraordinary numbers of butterflies on my farm survey for @nationaltrust.org.uk on semi-improved but ungrazed field. Literally thousands of Gatekeepers and Marbled Whites, 100s Meadow Brown, Small Skipper and tens Brown Argus. Shows what riches could be out there. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

One of my colour marked female Long-horned Bees Eucera longicornis returning to her burrow shadowed by a Leucophora fly. After leaving the fly enters her nest burrow to lay eggs, the fly maggots will devour the pollen store the bee has collected for her young? Prawle, Devon

And my first local record of Marbled White, also on Tunbridge Wells Common today. These have been spreading inland in Kent from the Downs & the coast in recent years.

Pleased to see several male Pantaloon Bees (Dasypoda hirtipes) feeding at ragwort on Tunbridge Wells Common today. This is my 4th local site for a species that is spreading here.

Female of the mining bee Colletes similis foraging at ragwort on Tunbridge Wells Common

Cross-leaved Heath on Tunbridge Wells Common - so advanced that some of its flowers have already gone over. With some early flowers of Common Heather (Ling). #wildflowerhour

Bearsbreech (Acanthus) competing with nettles, cleavers etc on the edge of a road through Tunbridge Wells Common. #wildflowerhour

Common Ragwort decorated with Cinnabar moth caterpillars. #wildflowerhour

Viper's Bugloss. Not native to the High Weald but it does turn up occasionally on disturbed ground - as here on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common - or where it's come in as part of a wildflower seed mix. #wildflowerhour

The nationally scarce Festoon, an ancient woodland species, at today's Dunorlan Park moth morning

A pristine example of True Lover's Knot, so called because of its ornate pattern, at today's Dunorlan Park moth morning

Buff Footman from today's moth morning at Dunorlan Park

Least Carpet from today's moth morning at Dunorlan Park

Pine Hawk from today's moth morning at Dunorlan Park

Habitat of Grey-banded Mining Bee at Frant churchyard. This is a natural sandy acid grassland turf dominated by Cat's-ear, ideal for this species.

It's a long time since I've seen Grey-banded Mining Bee (Andrena denticulata) so I was pleased to see several foraging females at Frant churchyard today while checking progress of their rewilding project

I just flushed a scarlet tiger in my garden (photo from 2 weeks ago). Without wanting to be simplistic, for every species that, assisted by climate change, goes from unheard-of to common, there’s a familiar, much-loved species that can’t cope. Want cattle egrets? Kiss good bye to willow warblers.

With a Wall Brown butterfly, appropriately

A short clip of the White-letter Hairstreak doing a little pirouette on the branch 😍 little ballerina butterfly! #butterflies @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social

One of our largest solitary bees, a territorial male Anthidium manicatum ssp. nigrithorax (British Wool-carder Bee) in my daughter's Bedfordshire garden this afternoon. Males use the 4 spines at the tip of their abdomens to crush other insects intruding into their territories.

The Dungeness day-trip came with some top drawer moths courtesy of @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social staff Dave & Jacob. Three stunners stood out: White Spot, Rose Plume & Sussex Emerald. Superb, each one. Thanks also @ploddingbirder.bsky.social & @dungenessowen.bsky.social 🤝 @linnetincley.bsky.social

Happy #InternationalPolychaeteDay! To celebrate these worm-derful creatures we've selected some hand drawn illustrations of species collected in #Plymouth by Elsie Sexton, during her time working @thembauk.bsky.social

July is a special month for the Big Eight 🎱🐝 Of the UK’s 24 bumblebee species, these eight are the most common. This month, queens and workers (females) will be joined by new males 👋 🔎 Brush up on your bumblebee identification skills: https://ow.ly/lAUS50Zb2ko

Females of Wool-carder Bee (Anthidium manicatum) & Green-eyed Flower Bee (Anthophora bimaculata) in Calverley Grounds today

Foraging female of Panurgus calcaratus (Small Shaggy Bee) at Cat's-ear in Calverley Grounds today. Very localised in the Tunbridge Wells area - only recorded from Calverley Grounds & Park, and from TW Common

Andrena hattorfiana at two sites in the Norfolk Brecks today. One has an enormous orange pollen load!

Two species of hairstreak butterfly occur in my village woods; White-letter Hairstreak, which I don't find every year, and the more abundant Purple Hairstreak, which I do. A good morning for them today inside Gamlingay Wood LNR, S. Cambridgeshire. #Butterflies

The first Rose Chafer I've ever seen in Tunbridge Wells - on Rusthall Common today. I hope it's not just a random vagrant but that they've come to stay.

Late addition to the list for yesterday's moth morning - the rare migrant pyralid Etiella zinckenella (Legume Knot-horn)

Common Cow-wheat at Fore Wood #wildflowerhour

Common Spotted Orchid at Fore Wood #wildflowerhour

And in contrast Trailing St John's Wort, also at Fore Wood #wildflowerhour

Tutsan, our largest native St John's Wort, at RSPB Fore Wood #wildflowerhour