Bugz n Slugz
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moistmacro.bsky.social
Bugz n Slugz
@moistmacro.bsky.social
3.5K followers 2.1K following 800 posts
Nudibranch obsessive, underwater photographer, citizen scientist, bug photographer and thalassophile.
Now in the Abu Dhabi. ♾️🧩🦑
All photos by me.
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moistmacro.bsky.social
Life can be quirky. That sliding doors moment when I decided to not do biology at school - and have regretted it ever since. I now find myself 38 years later about to collaborate as a citizen scientist with a post-doc researcher on collecting and naming some Nudibranch. 2026 seems suddenly brighter.
An undescribed Goniobranchus sea slug from Abu Dhabi. It has a white mantle with large claret patches across its back and a mantle edge interspersed with yellow, red and purple markings An undescribed Goniobranchus sea slug from Abu Dhabi. It has a white mantle with medium purple patches across its back and a mantle edge that is yellow. The rhinophores and gills are orange An undescribed Goniobranchus sea slug from Abu Dhabi. It has a white mantle with small claret patches across its back and a mantle edge interspersed with yellow, red and purple markings An undescribed Goniobranchus sea slug from Abu Dhabi. It has a white mantle with medium purple patches across its back and a mantle edge that is yellow. The rhinophores and gills are orange
January 16, 2026 at 4:44 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Something to at least try and brighten the day.
A yellow/orange cosmos flower from Thailand
January 9, 2026 at 8:35 AM
Reposted by Bugz n Slugz
billybragg.bsky.social
Just gonna leave this here
January 3, 2026 at 6:35 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Oh well - no surprise there
The word perilous randomly chose as my word of the year. Black texting aqua background
January 2, 2026 at 5:59 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
This is believe is a little Nomia strigata bee. It has these gorgeous blue stripes on its abdomen. From Ko Yao Yai in Thailand.
A photo of a small bee sat on a leaf. It has striking blue bands on its abdomen.
January 1, 2026 at 9:49 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
I believe these belong in the Atractomorpha genus of grasshoppers. So nice that the bigger one is giving its buddy a piggyback - I suspect it’s tired.

Found in Phuket region of Thailand.
#Invertebrates #Insects #Bugs
A photo of two grasshoppers multiplying their DNA. The larger one at the bottom is green whilst the one on top is more brown. They are perched on a leaf
December 30, 2025 at 6:48 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So the big question upcoming for 2026 is do I get the Sony 200-600 or the 400-800 lens?
December 28, 2025 at 12:29 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So this morning I give you a big. Pycanum rubens - Giant Shorld bug from Thailand.
Not the best camouflage if I’m honest - but suspect it’s a warning of something distasteful to a predator.
#invertebrate #bug #red #thailand
A photograph of a bright red shield bug resting on a green leaf.
December 12, 2025 at 8:07 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Spood time! I believe this is Carrhotus sannio. It’s from Thailand and has snagged something tasty for dinner.
#Spiders #Invertebrates #Thailand
A photo of a golden yellow jumping spider on a green leaf. It has a long black bug in its mouth - dinner no doubt
December 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Giant Golden Orbweavers (Nephila pilipes) are a stunning spider. Also the fact that they apparently manipulate UV light reflections on their body to attract prey - makes them a great little marvel of nature.
#Invertebrates #Spiders #Arachnids #Thailand
A photo of a large Orbweaver spider perched in the middle of its web. The long legs are black, with a white thorax and yellow markings. Its abdomen has thin longitudinal black and white markings.
December 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
This believe is Ideopsis vulgaris, the Blue Glassy Tiger. Another one from Koh Yao Yai in Thailand.
#invertebrates #Butterfly #Thailand #insects #lepidoptera
A photo of a blue butterfly with ice blue patterns on its wings bordered by black. Almost resembling stained glass windows - it’s is feeding on white flowers A photo of a blue butterfly with ice blue patterns on its wings bordered by black. Almost resembling stained glass windows - it’s is feeding on white flowers
December 7, 2025 at 3:41 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Another one from Thailand - Pantala flavescens - The Wandering Glider.
#Invertebrates #thailand #dragonfly
A photo of a dragonfly that has a golden coloured body with an orange oblong patch on its eye - it is resting on a plant talk A photo of a dragonfly that has a golden coloured body. The picture shows off the intricate lace like detail of the wings
December 5, 2025 at 4:37 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So here we have a little green invertebrate from Thailand - not sure of the species but it appears to be a type of Shining Leaf Chafer (according to iNat) #Invertebrates #Beetles #Insects #Thailand #Chafer #Green
A photo from the front of a bright green metallic looking beetle perched on a leaf
December 4, 2025 at 11:41 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Now that I am back to Thailand I can start processing some of my pictures. Here is the helpful house gecko that hung around our jungle villa for the duration of our sojourn keeping the mosquitoes at bay.
#Lizards #Gecko #Thailand
Photo of the front end of an Asian house gecko. It is lying on a window frame and is a mottled brown colour
December 4, 2025 at 1:53 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So this was a nice spot the other morning - Phintella vittata (Banded Phintella). I was disappointed that I couldn’t get it to face me properly so I could get a shot of its spoody face. #Invertebrates #Spiders #Spood #Thailand
A photo of a small jumping spider that has a metallic looking colouration across its head and back interspersed with solid black bands.
November 28, 2025 at 6:45 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Here is the first bug/insect - straight out of the camera as all my editing stuff is back home. This is Argiope versicolor - Multi-coloured Saint Andrew’s Cross Spider from Koh Yao Yai in Thailand.
A photo of a very colourful Orbweaver spider. It has red, black, white and yellow bands across its back and a hairy grey head.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Saw a Tree Puppy this morning on the way back from breakfast
A picture of a Clouded Monitor Lizard hanging on a tree in Koh Yao Yai island in Thailand
November 27, 2025 at 6:54 AM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So I’ve been finding a fair few bugs - but everything has been surpassed by what my wife spotted in the trees on our way back from dinner tonight. A true bucket list moment - Nycticebus coucang in the wild - female I believe and possibly pregnant
November 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Off to Koh Yao Yai Island tomorrow - hopefully will find some interesting bugs to shoot. Hopefully will stop raining
November 24, 2025 at 3:04 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So it’s International Sea Slug Day (Happy Birthday Dr Terry Gosliner)
So here is the Branch of the Week featuring yours truly on one of my favourite little websites.

slugsite.us/bow2007/nudw...
Opisthobranch of the Week is Goniobranchus alius
Nudibranch of the Week is Goniobranchus alius
slugsite.us
October 29, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Reposted by Bugz n Slugz
bcwarwickshire.bsky.social
Work at Ettington Cutting site has now been completed for this year ✅ Many thanks to our hard working volunteers. Summer & Autumn photos of this site below.
Summer photo of the site, showing wildflowers & grasses, blue skies & fluffy clouds. Autumnal photo of the site being cut & raked by our volunteers. 📷 Tara Higgs
October 16, 2025 at 6:30 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
Some potential great news from today - looks like I may have finally found a way to get some real scientists to start describing some of the many undescribed #Nudibranch we have here in the UAE. This spectacular creature will hopefully be the first on the list.
#🦐 #🦑
A photo of a sea slug that is mainly white with a yellow marginal band. It has large purple wine stain like blotches covering its notum A photo of a sea slug that is mainly white with a yellow marginal band. It has large purple wine stain like blotches covering its notum A photo of a sea slug that is mainly white with a yellow marginal band. It has large purple wine stain like blotches covering its notum
October 16, 2025 at 4:34 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So no #Nudibranch today - but something almost as cool - a little snail from the genus Diminovula.
#🦑 #🦐 #Mollusc
A photo of a small sea snail that has a white base colour but is covered in shocking pink splodges
October 2, 2025 at 4:13 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
This #Nudibranch is Caloria indica and is one of the slugs seen quite often here in the UAE.
Hopefully I can get back in the water soon to find some more.
#🦐 #🦑
A photo of a sea slug from the side. The main body is translucent white with a series of cerata on its back that are orange and blue tipped with yellow.
September 30, 2025 at 6:33 PM
moistmacro.bsky.social
So this morning we have a bug rather than a slug. This is Allogalathea elegans - the elegant squat lobster who are generally found hanging out on crinoids. This one is from the east coast of the #UAE
#🦐 #🦑
A photo of a small squat lobster. It is coloured in alternating bars of white, brown and grey. This helps it to camouflage amongst the arms of its Crinoid host.
September 29, 2025 at 4:49 AM