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Nigel Jones

@lancefly.bsky.social

530 followers 50 following 140 posts

Entomologist. Obsessed with flies. Keen on wasps and bees. Enjoy other insects, birdsong, finding places free of cars and dogwalkers. I don't look much like my avatar image anymore. Love a pint or two of a well served pale ale in a cosy pub with no tv.

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · 2d

The patterned wing fly is Suillia variegata.

Reposted by Nigel Jones

Steve @stevetypesstuff.bsky.social · 9d

#Flowers that mimic the smell of injured #ants to attract #kleptoparasites as #pollinators!

Go home evolution you’re drunk!

www.cell.com/current-biol...

Olfactory floral mimicry of injured ants mediates the attraction of kleptoparasitic fly pollinators

Mochizuki reports a plant that lures pollinating flies by imitating the scent of ants injured by predators. This study reveals the first known case of ant mimicry in flowers and uncovers previously un...

www.cell.com

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Reposted by Nigel Jones

Ash Whiffin @ashwhiffin.bsky.social · 10d

Bugs to make you go “Ooooh!” 😲🤩

Sabrina Imbler @sabs.bsky.social · 10d

a question for bug enthusiasts: are there any other examples of bugs doing crazy body horror (body envy!??!) stuff like this? www.science.org/content/arti...

Beetle grows ‘termite’ on back to steal food

Puppet helps insect trick real termites into feeding it

www.science.org

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · 10d

I bought an Amscope bargain "last season's" compound trinocular with digicam for £350 a couple of years ago. For the price it is amazing value and certainly does what I require. First compound mscope, so I don't have anything to compare it with but I can't imagine it could be beaten on value.

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · 10d

I need to be more imaginative with my data labels. This is the level of labelling we should all be striving for. Absolutely top quality.

Erica McAlister @flygirlnhm.bsky.social · 10d

Today’s winning data label goes to this flea

I’ve no idea who collected it but I’d love to met them, sounds like they are my sort of person 🤓

#collections @nhm-london.bsky.social #fleas #databasing

Reposted by Nigel Jones

Andrew Mountcastle @mounty.bsky.social · Apr 16

5/ Some wings have evolved strategies to help reduce damage resulting from collisions. For example, we learned a few years ago that wasp wings have a flexible joint that acts like a reversible crumple zone, allowing the wing tip to easily bend out of the way when it hits things...

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Reposted by Nigel Jones

John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 20d

Excellent day in the Wyre Forest, Shropshire with fungi, ants, 60 Crossbills and the highlight a lovely female Araneus alsine (Strawberry Spider) found by Denise B on Neil's trousers (not their preferred habitat). nth try for these for me - what a belter! @lancefly.bsky.social #spiders #ukwildlife

Strawberry Spider (Araneus alsine) - a portly orange spider with white spots. Nationally Scarce

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · 22d

Oh wow! Where was this Jas?

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Reposted by Nigel Jones

Mark Avery @markavery.bsky.social · 22d

The @bsbibotany.bsky.social @bsbicymru.bsky.social announce rediscovery of Holly Fern on Cwm Idwal after going missing for 150+ years.

See markavery.info/2025/09/17/b...

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · 27d

In fact John Bingham has now told us that in the Wyre Forest, Dinarda is quite often found on top of the nest.

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · 29d

😬😬

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Sep 6

One problem. That desk is way too tidy! 😅

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Sep 6

Out for a walk in Shropshire today and I chanced across a nice pile of rotting logs. Did a quick sweep and got lots of Clusiodes gentilis plus a nice Piophilid: Allopiophila luteata. Made a good walk a very good walk. Always carry a net and tubes!
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @pilning.bsky.social

A small shiny black and yellow fly - Allopiophila luteata

A small shiny black, white and yellow marked fly - Clusiodes gentilis.

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Sep 2

Gosh, I didn't think mossies did at all well as dry vouchers. Fab!

Reposted by Nigel Jones

Dave Brice @davebriceflies.bsky.social · Aug 30

Nearing the end of a challenging job from Tenerife, just 90 Sarcophagidae to go! 😥 At least this one doesn't look like all of the others; Miltogramma aurifrons. Still available for ID and imaging projects, UK and Europe dipteraid.co.uk/specimeniden...
Please share if possible

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 23

Yes, absolutely.

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 19

Yes, thanks. Now keyed with Askew's RES handbook and looks a good fit, although I saw that Nearctic workers regard it as a species complex now.

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 19

😮

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 18

A really snazzy 2mm wasp from a vane trap sample. Any idea what this might be @arnoldtortoise.bsky.social ?

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 18

😮

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 16

This is the sort of garden "pest" we want!

Zak Spaull @zspaull.bsky.social · Aug 15

After a fantastic season at Cemlyn, it was a welcome surprise to come home and see 2 Death’s-head Hawkmoth caterpillars devouring the garden potatoes this afternoon! (VC49) #teammoth

Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 11

One impressive bee: www.flickr.com/photos/nico_...

Xylocopa latipes

Xylocopa (Platynopoda) latipes male (Hym. Apidae), 9.viii.2025, Kaen Makrut, Huai Kha Khaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand.

www.flickr.com

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Nigel Jones @lancefly.bsky.social · Aug 7

Terrific!

Reposted by Nigel Jones

Stephen Plummer @stephenplummer.bsky.social · Aug 7

When you feel something crawling on the back of your hand and look down to find what turns out to be one of the UK’s rarest Sawflies mistaking you for a Willow leaf it’s helpful to be standing a few feet away from a local and national Sawfly Recorder: the beautiful Arge enodis (Clophill Lakes, Beds)

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