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David Gibbs

@davidjgibbs.bsky.social

190 followers 110 following 64 posts

General naturalist, survey entomologist specialising in Diptera and Hymenoptera. World birder but mainly doing plants and fungi at moment.

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David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · 17d

Seven Boletids in a single day in a West Yorkshire valley, from top left clockwize - Suillus grevillei, Imleria badia, Xerocomellus cisalpinus, Leccinum scabrum, L. cyaneobasileucum, Xerocomellus pruinatus, Neoboletus erythropus.

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 14

Endemic plants of Bulgaria, about 170 species are endemic to the country, mostly in the uplands, although the mountains of SW Bulgaria share much of their flora with adjacent countries. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 14

The best of the Blues from SW Bulgaria #Lycainidae #Lepidoptera #Butterflies

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 13

Having never found a Houseleek in their native habitat before, I was very please to come across 3 species in SW Bulgaria @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 13

Primroses of the mountains of SW Bulgaria, the endemic Rila Primrose particularly exciting to find @europeanorchids.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 13

A few of the best Fritillaries from SW Bulgaria in June-July 2025, Only saw one Cynthia's but the high meadows on Vihren were covered in 100,000's of caterpillars #Lepidoptera #Butterflies

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 13

Some Burnets Zygaena from SW Bulgaria #Moths #Zygaena #Burnets #teammoth

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 12

Saxifrages of SW Bulgaria @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Aug 3

Possibly one of the rarest plants I found in Bulgaria, endemic to the Pirin Mountains - Centaurea achtarovii @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 23

Yes, I know it well, shall be there this evening😊

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 23

The two 5-spot burnets are essentially indistinguishable as adults in the field. Habitat and presence of food plant are indicative but not definitive. In my experience in North Somerset Z. lonicerae are common while trifolii is vanishingly rare. But things are always changing!

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 23

That one is certainly showing the features of fasciatus, but we have 3 species in Britain!

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 23

Presumably Zygaena lonicerae? in that habitat both could be present.

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 23

I don't think this can be fasciatus, possibly sexualis?

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 20

Opiliones, harvestman

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 19

Which race are your Dorset insects?

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 19

Right, such variation in Z. lonicerae seems to be very rare, I see lots of them. In Z.t.palustrella these fused spots seem common, but I've not seen them in Z.t.trifolii, although said to occur? Frequency?

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 19

Is this equally frequent in both ssp? I have seen many palustrella like this but rarely Z.t. trifolii, not that I have seen many of the latter recently.

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 17

btw what about leaf tip of xwintoni? the middle one in the collage had a typical incarnata leaf tip.

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 17

can't

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 17

Thanks Sean, I did identify a couple of plants as xwintoni but wasn't at all sure. I know, but I like to record things at the finest level available literature allows, can always amalgamate records later but can disassociate them if didn't take note.

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 17

Some of the variety of Dactylorhiza incarnata, Early Marsh Orchid at Kenfig. Top Dactylorhiza (incarnata) coccinea, middle showing characteristics of Dactylorhiza (incarnata) lobelii, bottom perhaps Dactylorhiza incarnata incarnata var dunensis? @ukorchids.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 16

Or are they are doing the opposite, trying to stand out by looking like an inflorescence very attractive to insects?

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 16

👍

David Gibbs @davidjgibbs.bsky.social · Jun 16

that strongly suggests Adscita geryon especially of you are in the S of England?