After yrs of looking at common fleabane in hope, & not finding it: finally a volunteer at a conservation work party in at Milham Ford ponds brought me this 'ladybird' he found on fleabane. Not a ladybird but a Fleabane Tortoise Beetle Cassida murraea! what a beauty.. @colsocbi.bsky.social

A new aphid for my Norwich list this evening, Black-spotted Bamboo Aphid (Takecallis arundinariae) in Waterloo Park. I've checked quite a lot of Bamboo around the city, but prior to this I've only seen Takecallis arundicolens.

More footage of Silver-studded Blue larva being attended by ants on Studland Heath. Here you can clearly see the pair of tentacle organs being extruded every now and then from its rear end. Seems to be signalling ‘follow me’ @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

3 new for year #butterfly species seen @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social Ryton Wood Meadows today. Small Tortoiseshell didn't stop for a portrait but the Meadow Brown and White Admiral did!!

Green Hairstreak in abundance at Mardon Hill, Dartmoor this afternoon.

Pleasantly surprised to see a Norfolk Hawker whizzing around in my local wood in Bedfordshire yesterday. As the name suggests this was historically a scarce species found mainly in Norfolk, but which has recently spread dramatically across England.

Water Violet - an attractive aquatic plant that is not related to the true violets - at Marden #wildflowerhour

Common Spotted Orchid in meadow on Rusthall Common #wildflowerhour

Foxglove at Happy Valley on Rusthall Common #wildflowerhour

Pignut in glade on Rusthall Common #wildflowerhour

Wild Pansy cultivar self-sown in Woodbury Park Cemetery #wildflowerhour

Female hoverfly Epistrophe melanostoma laying eggs on dock with clumps of aphids

A very early female Melitta haemorrhoidalis mining bee visiting mallow, one of several patrolling males, on Tunbridge Wells Common. Not supposed to be out until July.

Mother Shipton moth feeding in Dunorlan Park today. Showing clearly the 'old witch' profile on each forewing.

Female Painted Lady laying eggs on emerging thistle plants in Dunorlan Park today.

Mint Moth contrasting nicely with the buttercup it's feeding on. Dunorlan Park

Mating pair of the hoverfly Merodon equestris (Greater Bulb Fly) in Dunorlan Park today

Something white flew across the garden and landed in a shrub at 2pm today. I managed to flush it out and was shocked to see it was a Crimson Speckled (U. pulchella). A 3rd for the garden but my first ever daytime sighting of this species. Can things get any better?! St Mellion. #teammoth

For a tiny micro-moth, the ermine can have a huge impact on Hawthotn/Blackthorn hedgerows. Shows the importance of multi species hedges & perhaps not cutting them so harshly!

Cocksfoot Moths (Glyphipterix simpliciella). The smallest moths I've knowingly seen, I think! Thank you SO much for the replies.

An attractive little longhorn moth - Adela croesella - at RSPB Fore Wood today

The Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) is also a longhorn. Like many mimics it's more convincing in flight.

The longhorn beetle Leptura quadrifasciata at RSPB Fore Wood today

Nice to see the first male Long-horned Bees out at RSPB Fore Wood today.

The impressive tachinid fly Phasia hemiptera at RSPB Fore Wood today

Good number of Painted Lady in RSPB Fore Wood today

Lots of female Andrena labialis foraging at water dropwort at Marden today

The scarce mining bee Andrena proxima, associated with white umbellifers, at Marden today

Pair of dock beetles Gastrophysa viridula at Marden today. As with oil beetles, the females look like they're wearing a jacket that's shrunk in the wash!

Nymph of Roesel's Bush-cricket at Marden today

Female Emperor dragonfly laying eggs at Marden today

The beautiful micro moth Alabonia geoffrella at Marden today

First Meadow Brown of the season at Marden today

A gorgeous Trichodes sp seen in the Ardennes in France last week. #Cleridae #Coleoptera #Ardennes #France

Scilly Isles Day 1. These islands really are our bolt hole of choice. Choppy crossings to and from Tresco today but such a glorious sunny and blustery day #ScillyIsles #IslesofScilly

A beautiful sight of about 35 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries Boloria selene near Maceley Cove west of Prawle Point, Devon yesterday. I have never seen so many of these butterflies in one spot before.

There were good numbers of Black Colonel Soldierflies (Odontomyia tigrina) at RSPB Greylake on the Somerset Levels today, but the star of the show was a female Ornate Brigadier (Odontomyia ornata). @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social #bugsky

One of a flock of about 15 Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies in a sunny glade on Rusthall Common today

White-legged Damselfly in a meadow on Rusthall Common today

Male mining bee Andrena labialis showing distinctive yellowish-white face. One of 23 species of solitary bees recorded on Rusthall Common today.

Seems early for Silver-studded Blue @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social ? Today (24/5) with Green Hairstreak in Wareham Forest. Steady stream of Painted Ladies heading N up the Morden valley, and a few in Weymouth (pictured) yesterday @savebutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Cat's-ear and Pignut on Frant Green #wildflowerhour

Rewilding area in Frant Churchyard with Germander Speedwell, Oxeye Daisy & Pignut. #wildflowerhour

Wood Spurge in Eridge Park. The unusual lime-green colour looks more like yellow at a distance & in bright sunlight, so still attracts pollinators. #wildflowerhour

Cat's-ear and Mouse-ear Hawkweed growing together in Calverley Grounds. Very characteristic of 'unimproved' High Weald grassland and favoured by scarce bees like Andrena humilis & A fulvago.

Microdon devius, a hoverfly whose armoured larvae live in ants' nests. Foulden Common, Norfolk, on today's Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society field trip. www.flickr.com/photos/63075... #Hoverflies @norfolknats.bsky.social

Chinese Character from today's moth morning at the Amelia. This species avoids predators by disguising itself as a bird's dropping

Green Pug and Least Black Arches from today's moth morning at the Amelia

The beautiful Light Emerald from today's moth morning at the Amelia

Pale Tussock from today's moth morning at the Amelia