Derek Binns
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arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Derek Binns
@arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
1K followers 130 following 820 posts
Amateur naturalist - parasitic wasps (and other tiny insects) specialising in UK Trichogrammatidae and Mymaridae. All posts are my own finds, and all are found in Sussex (unless otherwise stated).
Born at 317.68ppm.
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arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Wing fringe Wednesday?
A 0.4mm long female Litus cynipseus wasp of the Mymaridae found 19.11.2025 at Rye Harbour Nature reserve. This is a very commonly found species, but (like most things in the natural realm) it is rather wonderful when you look closely.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #RyeHarbour
Looking down onto a tiny brown wasp with its head and antennae to the top of picture. It has very narrow wings that have long fringe hairs.
January 21, 2026 at 11:22 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A 0.6mm long female Mirufens longicauda wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 19.7.2023 in the garden birch tree.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae #HighWeald
Side view of a tiny brown wasp. Its head is to the right of picture, and it has a large red eye and yellow antennae. Paddle shaped wings are held vertically above body and have an iridescent sheen.
January 20, 2026 at 2:44 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
The blue form of the Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) gives us something to look forward to!
#BlueBugs
A blue-tinged shieldbug on a twig. It is facing to the left.
January 19, 2026 at 9:18 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A female Chartocerus subaeneus wasp of the Signiphoridae found 29.7.2025 in the old meadow at Great Dixter.
It was very good year for Signiphorid wasps.

#UKWildlife #Signiphoridae #wasps #HighWeald
Side view of a tiny brown wasp. Its head and antennae are to the left of picture, its ovipositor is pointing to the right. Wings with shaded bands are held above the body.
January 15, 2026 at 2:11 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A 0.8mm long female Ufens hirticornis wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 1.8.2023 in Brede High Woods.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae #HighWeald
View looking down on a tiny wasp with wings outstretched. The wasp's head and yellow antennae are to the top of picture. Its body is brown with a couple of yellow patches. The paddle-shaped clear wings have rows of hairs along each wing disc.
January 15, 2026 at 9:52 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A beautiful 0.5mm long Uscana princeps wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 5.9.2023 at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae #RyeHarbour
Side view of a tiny wasp. Its bright yellow head with a large red eye is to the left of picture.Its body is predominantly a smoky grey colour. Its wings are held vertically above the body; they are paddle-shaped with long fringe hairs, and they have a smoky area at their bases.
January 13, 2026 at 11:09 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A beautiful little Tardigrade - Ramazzottius aff oberhaeuseri found in lichen growing on a wind-blasted tree trunk in Warrior Square gardens yestrerday.

#UKWildlife #Tardigrade #St.Leonards
A brown chequerboard patterned Tardigrade viewed from above. Its head end is to the left of picture, and the internal mouthparts can be seen. Legs are clearly visible with their claws along one side and to the rear of the animal.
January 12, 2026 at 12:01 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
11.1.2026
07.51 am
A dramatic skyscape as the sun is still just below the horizon and is uplighting clouds in various shades of orange and red
January 11, 2026 at 9:31 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A female Anaphes globosicornis wasp of the Mymaridae found 10.9.2025 in the old meadow at Great Dixter.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #HighWeald
Looking down onto a tiny brown wasp with outstretched wings which are clear, and have long fringe hairs. The wasp's head is to the top of picture
January 9, 2026 at 4:47 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
By way of comparison, this Lithops is also 4 years old from seed. It is now 17mm across, and is producing a new leaf pair as you can see. It won't be watered until April or May, when the old leaf pair have dried out. Then water every month or two until September, then dry until April again. #Lithops
January 9, 2026 at 4:40 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A faded Ooctonus hemipterus wasp of the Mymaridae found in Combe Valley 31.7.2024. Love those brachypterous wings!

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae
Side view of a tiny brown wasp with disproportionately small wings. Its head is to the left of picture and has a large red eye and long pale antennae.
January 6, 2026 at 11:39 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
08.14am, 4.1.2026.
The sun in a clear sky is just above the horizon on a calm sea observed between two houses.
January 5, 2026 at 1:16 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Whither goest thou Mr.Fox?
a trail of footprints in the snow leading from bottom of picture to top, the prints were caused by a fox
January 4, 2026 at 1:53 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
8.19am, 3.1.2026.
Sunrise from the sea. The sea is dark and there is a strong horizontal line marking the horizon. A thin line of cloud is just above the horizon, and the sun is shining through the cloud. There is a strong gradation of colour in the sky from dark orange near to the sea, rising to a clear blue at the top of picture.
January 3, 2026 at 10:28 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A female Microterys tricoloricornis wasp of the Encyrtidae found in the garden bay tree for New Year's Day.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Encyrtidae
View looking down on a tiny wasp. To the right of the picture it has black and white antennae, an orange-brown head with green eyes, an orange-brown thorax with a light metallic sheen, and banded wings folded across its body.
January 1, 2026 at 3:19 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
First leaf moult of a Lithops dorotheae seedling sown in February this year. The tiny plants that have come through the year successfully are now just starting to split and to grow. New life in the midst of winter is a joy.

#Lithops
An oval shaped tiny plant. Its pair of pinkish leaves are starting to part in the middle to reveal a new pair of leaves emerging beneath. The plant is seen against a background of grey stone chips.
December 27, 2025 at 12:35 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
The remarkable wings of a tiny wasp. These are the fore-wings and hind-wings of a Litus cynipseus wasp of the Mymaridae. The wasp is only 0.4mm long, and its wings are very narrow. Wasps are amazing!

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae
Slide image of a set of wasp wings; from top of picture are alternating fore-wing, hind-wing, fore-wing, hindwing. The wings are extremely narrow, and they have very long fringe hairs.
December 19, 2025 at 11:56 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A rather fine 0.6mm long female Anaphes crassicornis wasp of the Mymaridae found 19.11.2025 at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Mymaridae #RyeHarbour
Side view of a tiny brown wasp. Its head and antennae are to the left of picture, head has a large red eye. Blade-like fringed wings are held vertically above body. Ovipositor is horizontal below abdomen to the right of the picture.
December 18, 2025 at 2:49 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
17.12.2025.
8.12am
this morning's sky; the sea is still dark, and there is a line of dark cloud obscuring the horizon. At the top of the cloud bank the sun is peeking through, illuminating wispy bits of high level cloud with orange light
December 17, 2025 at 9:40 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A seven-spot Ladybird in the garden today.

#UKWildlife #Ladybird #Coccinella
Looking down on an orange-red oval Ladybird with seven small black spots on its back. It is walking along a grey-white dried stem of a plant.
December 16, 2025 at 4:39 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A 0.9mm long female Chaetostricha similis wasp of the Trichogrammatidae found 10.8.2025 in the garden birch tree.

#UKWildlife #wasps #Trichogrammatidae
side view of a yellow wasp with paddle-shaped wings held over body, its head with large red eye is to the left of picture
December 11, 2025 at 1:43 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
Are either of these any good?
December 11, 2025 at 1:04 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
A very handsome Echiniscus testudo Tardigrade found in lichen on a branch blown down in the winds in Alexandra Park, Hastings.

#UKWildlife #Tardigrade
view from above of an orange-brown Tardigrade. Its head end is to the right of picture, and its eight sets of claws are to either side of the body.
December 9, 2025 at 9:44 AM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
This is another one of the same species that was found in September 2024.
December 8, 2025 at 3:28 PM
arnoldtortoise.bsky.social
One of today's fruiting bodies emerging in the garden.

#fungi
A toadstool growing out of grass, surrounded by fallen birch leaves. The toadstool has a white stem, creamy white gill edges at the side of the cap, and is maroon on top
December 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM