The wonder of Waterhouse. His glorious work, the Natural History Museum, London. Here today for the RES Orthoptera Special Interest Group. Always a fun meeting.

Visiting friends in upstate Michigan. Blazing autumn colours, but chilly this morning. First snow expected in 2-3 weeks’ time.

Blowing a hooley here in Belper, Derbyshire but, surprisingly, not much apple fall.

Grass of Parnassus, Marsh Lousewort and Bog Bush-cricket on Bell Heather, on Buxton Heath, Norfolk, this afternoon.

A few captive Large Marsh Grasshoppers still going strong here at home, producing egg pods for next year’s #Hop_of_Hope reintroductions in Norfolk & Cambridgeshire. A special treat this morning: sedge instead of Cocksfoot grass. It was appreciated! @citizenzoo.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

This female Large Marsh Grasshopper, seen today (with friend), is almost certainly the adult of a VERY purple nymph seen 2 weeks ago, at almost exactly the same spot, at our Norfolk Broads release site. 📷 Anna. #Hop-of-Hope @citizenzoo.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Butterflies showing well this morning (Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Large White, Green-veined White) and moth trap packed, including 2 dead hornets. Belper, Derbyshire.

Our biggest, most handsome grasshopper has made a comeback in the Norfolk Broads, thanks to @CitizenZoo ‘s Hope of Hope project! Rare grasshopper returns to Norfolk after more than 85 years www.gov.uk/government/n...

Spotted an old friend this morning! I did fieldwork + a short paper on the Irish Yellow Slug, Limacus maculatus, way back in 1989. The population was living in crevices in an old stone wall in central Huntingdon, +mostly active at night time. The local constabulary found it all very interesting!

Stolen grasshopper steals the headlines! observer.co.uk/news/interna...

Working with Citizen Zoo: “Hop of Hope” project, rearing Large Marsh Grasshoppers & supporting our fantastic volunteer “citizen keepers”. We home-rear this rare species from eggs to adults, then release them at wetland sites in Norfolk & Cambridgeshire. A fabulous grasshopper & some great people! 👏

Pic of a large, dark nymphalid sitting on an airing duvet. It flew away swiftly. Google lens says: “Camberwell Beauty”! 👀

A carrot wasp (Gasteruption sp) on Astrantia (A. major) in our garden this afternoon. Its larvae feed on grubs of solitary bees.

Now is the winter of my discontent Made glorious summer by this sun at Wild Ken Hill. Forester Moth, Purple Hairstreak, Turtle Dove the highlights. And grasshoppers galore, including 50 Large Marsh Grasshopper nymphs (instars 4&5) introduced, with help from @awprco.bsky.social

Interesting! Insects are dying: here are 25 easy and effective ways you can help protect them www.theguardian.com/environment/...

We go again! 2025 marks the 7th year of home-rearing the near-endangered and rather fabulous Large Marsh Grasshopper. For release into restored wet habitats in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. A Hop of [email protected] @norfolknats.bsky.social

Brimstone caterpillar on Alder Buckthorn, in Belper, Derbys. A few adult males were flying about - not sure if they are the same generation or the parents’s generation.

Only apply this AWFUL stuff if your dog actually has fleas and is scratching itself like crazy. Afterwards don’t let it swim in ponds or rivers for the next 3 months.

Revisited an old Neil Young album this evening - ended up strumming & singing the title track for the 1st time in years. “Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970s”. 😮

Mow less. But mow smart. "No Mow May" alone won’t save the bees – here’s what will. 🐝 Wildflowers, edge habitats, compost heaps and caterpillars all feature. 🪲 Vanna Bartlett's must-read for wildlife-friendly gardeners:

I’m pretty sure Thucydides expressed pretty much the same argument around 400BC. Human nature hasn’t changed in all that time!

My Spring phenological marker "blossom max day", when the 1st loose petals fell beneath our cherry tree, this year was on Friday. Bang on time. 2025:11/04; 2024:06/04; 2023:14/04; 2022:20/04; 2021:20/04; 2020:12/04; 2019:09/04; 2018:25/04; 2017:08/04; 2016:02/05

Saw my 1st bluebell of 2025 amongst the wood anemones this afternoon. Chiffchaffs galore calling in the woods!

“No Mow May” became “No Mow Until late August” for the past 2 summers. Neighbours not impressed … but our front garden has responded in the appropriate manner this Spring!

No surprise, really. BTW, I once gripped on to a male impala by its horns + restrained him for 20 mins😳, before he was taken onto a game capture lorry + translocated to a new nature reserve 🇳🇦 Thankfully he stayed calm! Doubt my travel insurance would have covered provoked impalement by an impala!

Really enjoyable programme of talks at the annual norfolknats.bsky.social Recorders’ Meeting, in Norwich on Saturday. Pleased to spread the word about the reintroduction of the Large Marsh Grasshopper in East Anglia. It’s going well!

Parasicital industry in so many ways ... www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2025/03/12/s...

Short trip to NL🇳🇱 to attend Jan’s 92nd birthday party. My remarkable father-in-law is slowing down a bit now, but we did manage a walk around the lake in glorious Spring sunshine. He still rides his bicycle! Lots of Spring flowers for pollinators. Saw 7 or 8 Brimstone butterflies = Citroenvlinders.

Depressing news. But more motivation to make my garden a pollinator-friendly oasis.

Big garden birdwatch done! Numbers a bit lower than last year, House Sparrow the winner, as usual. bit.ly/3tgxjGS RSPB

Attending Citizen Zoo’s 2025 Rewilding Futures conference at Cambridge University. It’s been fantastic - so many inspiring talks + bumped into a few old friends

I love the resilience of Christmas roses. Sustained freezing weather and night frosts of -6C … no problem! Ours have soon recovered and this morning a honeybee receives a meal.

Travelled yesterday to Sheffield Uni (by car, train & bus!❄️) to attend final afternoon of Population Genetics Group ann.conference, celebrating the career achievements of Prof Roger Butlin. “What IS a species?” … 🧵

Totally agree. Engaging, informative & telling it straight, in plain language. Nice one @davegoulson.bsky.social

A cicada: ‘What cicadas leave behind is a kind of crystallised memory’ | Helen Sullivan www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A Christmas card with a difference! Beside being a locust expert, my mentor & friend Dr Nick Jago, was a talented artist. His painting of African insects featured on the Natural Resources Institute’s Christmas card in 1998. Group pic (1996) features myself, Nick, Dr George Popov & Dr John Grunshaw.

@morningoak.bsky.social Great to see the steadfast oak still standing strong. Getting quite a buffeting just now! Hoping you and your family are keeping well, Lindsey.