Caroline Byrne
@caroline-byrne.bsky.social
Hobbyists photographer, interested in ecology especially invertebrates, (and how my new build 2018) biodiversity develops. Based in North Cotswolds 🇬🇧🌎
All photos my own (unless repost or stated)
All photos my own (unless repost or stated)
Am I the only one who has dunnocks that have learnt to hop up through a shrub to hop into a seed feeder, for a cheeky snack. I know they are really an invert/insect feeder - but mine definitely use the feeder (now its easy from them to access)
November 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Am I the only one who has dunnocks that have learnt to hop up through a shrub to hop into a seed feeder, for a cheeky snack. I know they are really an invert/insect feeder - but mine definitely use the feeder (now its easy from them to access)
Oh yes - Small Copper in the garden - think this is a male but happy to be corrected. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
August 12, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Oh yes - Small Copper in the garden - think this is a male but happy to be corrected. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Mrs Southern Hawker checking out the mossy logs on the pond edge for some egg laying
August 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Mrs Southern Hawker checking out the mossy logs on the pond edge for some egg laying
Cob bricks for HFFB advice. I have some ‘blue’ clay (friend doing an extension), some straw, sharp sand, and some spare wood. Any advice on brick size - max/min - should I make the wooden housing first then pack the clay in or make bricks first then build housing to fit? @davegoulson.bsky.social Ta
August 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Cob bricks for HFFB advice. I have some ‘blue’ clay (friend doing an extension), some straw, sharp sand, and some spare wood. Any advice on brick size - max/min - should I make the wooden housing first then pack the clay in or make bricks first then build housing to fit? @davegoulson.bsky.social Ta
I did not realise wrens had nested in or near the garden - but in yesterday drizzle the family fledged and the garden was full of fluttering and cheeping. Not sure if this is an adult or young one but so pleased to see them. Even though I had to nip out in the drizzle.
July 30, 2025 at 5:35 PM
I did not realise wrens had nested in or near the garden - but in yesterday drizzle the family fledged and the garden was full of fluttering and cheeping. Not sure if this is an adult or young one but so pleased to see them. Even though I had to nip out in the drizzle.
So loving the Common Blue female butterflies on the wild front lawn. Seen males locally - just not on the ‘lawn’. They are remarkably wings are so pretty and so intricate - remarkable.
July 22, 2025 at 6:45 PM
So loving the Common Blue female butterflies on the wild front lawn. Seen males locally - just not on the ‘lawn’. They are remarkably wings are so pretty and so intricate - remarkable.
Spoilt for choice on my photos of a common blue butterfly - On the front lawn - yep thats my front lawn (it does get a mow around the edge) it has Birds-foot trefoil in it too as a caterpillar food plant #bigbutterflycount @savebutterflies.bsky.social
July 18, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Spoilt for choice on my photos of a common blue butterfly - On the front lawn - yep thats my front lawn (it does get a mow around the edge) it has Birds-foot trefoil in it too as a caterpillar food plant #bigbutterflycount @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Grabbed a shot of this comma at lunch time, enjoying the echinacea white swan #savebutterflies
July 10, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Grabbed a shot of this comma at lunch time, enjoying the echinacea white swan #savebutterflies
Garden pond rocking it at the mo with Souther Hawkers emerging
July 8, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Garden pond rocking it at the mo with Souther Hawkers emerging
Gatekeepers in the garden and cinnabar moth caterpillars on very local wild land
July 7, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Gatekeepers in the garden and cinnabar moth caterpillars on very local wild land
🌳 Dame Judi Dench is calling for the return of ancient woodlands. Will you sign the petition to help restore the Ghost Woods and protect our green spaces for future generations? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/br...
Bring back the ancient woodlands smothered beneath your timber plantations
Ancient woodlands are vanishing – and with them, some of our most loved and endangered wildlife. Forestry England manages over 100,000 acres of land that used to be ancient woodland - that’s bigger th...
you.38degrees.org.uk
July 4, 2025 at 9:33 AM
🌳 Dame Judi Dench is calling for the return of ancient woodlands. Will you sign the petition to help restore the Ghost Woods and protect our green spaces for future generations? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/br...
Is that the remains of a ‘gift’ in the males mandibles? So pleased to have finally spotted my first Yellow and Black long horned beetles - and I found a pair - busy making more. I believe they only live as adults for a few weeks.
June 29, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Is that the remains of a ‘gift’ in the males mandibles? So pleased to have finally spotted my first Yellow and Black long horned beetles - and I found a pair - busy making more. I believe they only live as adults for a few weeks.
Went for a stroll in one of #warwickshirewt sites - such a joyful place. So interesting reading afterwards how long skippers are caterpillars needing long grass. #canonuk #canonr7 #savebutterflies
June 29, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Went for a stroll in one of #warwickshirewt sites - such a joyful place. So interesting reading afterwards how long skippers are caterpillars needing long grass. #canonuk #canonr7 #savebutterflies
Great to see the Vestral Cuckoo bees back, #Bombusvestalis. Slightly sinister life style as they are social parasites of the Buff tailed bumblebee. I take it as a sign as a great bufftail population locally. The males love the Eryngium flowers. @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social #bumblebees
June 22, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Great to see the Vestral Cuckoo bees back, #Bombusvestalis. Slightly sinister life style as they are social parasites of the Buff tailed bumblebee. I take it as a sign as a great bufftail population locally. The males love the Eryngium flowers. @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social #bumblebees
Wool carder #bees are back in good numbers in the garden (did not see any last year) My patches of Lamb’s Ear have males protecting his patch with gusto - hoping a lady will come and harvest some plant hairs for her nests. #woolcarderbee
June 20, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Wool carder #bees are back in good numbers in the garden (did not see any last year) My patches of Lamb’s Ear have males protecting his patch with gusto - hoping a lady will come and harvest some plant hairs for her nests. #woolcarderbee
Such a lovely western honeybee, nice still morning with some pretty light, never knew they had hairy eyes 😱
June 19, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Such a lovely western honeybee, nice still morning with some pretty light, never knew they had hairy eyes 😱
ID help please. Is this a fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea? Appeared on unmown part of our housing estate!
June 16, 2025 at 12:48 PM
ID help please. Is this a fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea? Appeared on unmown part of our housing estate!
The Verbascum phoeniceum flower stems are really being munched by the mullein moth, it seems to be a great year for insects, I’m sure the birds will enjoy a few of these. #insects #cuculliaverbasci #moth #macromonday #ukwildlife
June 2, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The Verbascum phoeniceum flower stems are really being munched by the mullein moth, it seems to be a great year for insects, I’m sure the birds will enjoy a few of these. #insects #cuculliaverbasci #moth #macromonday #ukwildlife
Female Scarce Chaser at #croomenationaltrust on 30/5/25. Tricky to tell apart from immature males but this one was hunting on her own in the field which seems to be female behaviour, before they are ready to egg lay. Seems a good year for scarce chasers locally. #dragonflies #ukwildlife #insects
June 1, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Female Scarce Chaser at #croomenationaltrust on 30/5/25. Tricky to tell apart from immature males but this one was hunting on her own in the field which seems to be female behaviour, before they are ready to egg lay. Seems a good year for scarce chasers locally. #dragonflies #ukwildlife #insects
Scarce Chasers (Libellula fulva) at Croome NT. My reading tells me 1st recorded in UK on 1853, then again in 1937, small population 2004 and then on the near threatened list in 2008. Now spreading into midlands, with changing climate. Very specific habitat of slow- flowing rivers/floodplains.
May 31, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Scarce Chasers (Libellula fulva) at Croome NT. My reading tells me 1st recorded in UK on 1853, then again in 1937, small population 2004 and then on the near threatened list in 2008. Now spreading into midlands, with changing climate. Very specific habitat of slow- flowing rivers/floodplains.
All exotic in the garden this morning- blue tit on the red hot poker - but somehow it looks like I’m abroad. Is it nectar robbing, eating the anthers or bug hunting? definitely a bit of pollinating accidentally happening. They seem to do it more on a dry year, or am I in the garden more.
May 26, 2025 at 7:09 PM
All exotic in the garden this morning- blue tit on the red hot poker - but somehow it looks like I’m abroad. Is it nectar robbing, eating the anthers or bug hunting? definitely a bit of pollinating accidentally happening. They seem to do it more on a dry year, or am I in the garden more.
First painted lady of the year #savebutterflies
May 23, 2025 at 7:34 PM
First painted lady of the year #savebutterflies
This is the first year we have had house sparrows visit the garden ( new on 2018) so good to see them. Not sure if/where they are nesting
May 23, 2025 at 7:32 PM
This is the first year we have had house sparrows visit the garden ( new on 2018) so good to see them. Not sure if/where they are nesting
Sometimes it’s lovely to have something really frilly in the garden.
May 15, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Sometimes it’s lovely to have something really frilly in the garden.
The male Azures have started to patrol the garden pond. No females spotted yet but I’m sure they will be along in a day or two.
May 13, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The male Azures have started to patrol the garden pond. No females spotted yet but I’m sure they will be along in a day or two.