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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · 3d

A few #Speyside finds for this week’s #Wildflowerhour.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from top left: Red Clover, Green Alkanet, Musk Mallow, Common Fiddleneck, Creeping Thistle, Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Common Ragwort & Ivy.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · 4d

A few #Speyside finds for #UKFungusDay
@britmycolsoc.org.uk @plantlifeuk.bsky.social #Moray #VC95 #mushrooms #fungi 🍄🍂🍄‍🟫🪵

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

British Mycological Society @britmycolsoc.org.uk · 5d

🍄 ⭐ It's #UKFungusDay today! ⭐🍄 Join in with events, online activities, competitions. Share your favourite fungus facts, photos & creations. Learn about these amazing organisms & celebrate our fungal world. www.ukfungusday.co.uk
#fungi #nature #mushrooms #fungus

A photo of pin mould Spinellus fusiger covering the cap of a Mycena species fruitbody. White mushroom cap with brown stem on a green background. Taken by Mike Blacknell, a UK Fungus Day 2024 Photography Competition runner-up.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · 16d

The Big BRISC #Bioblitz starts today to celebrate 50yrs promoting biological recording in Scotland! Runs 22nd to 28th September.Record all animals🐦‍⬛🐸🐞, plants🌲🌿🌼, fungi🍄🍄‍🟫 etc that you find. You can take part using iNaturalist or iRecord app projects. nbn.org.uk/news/big-bri... @nbntrust.bsky.social

Advert for the BRISC (Biological Recording in Scotland) Big Bioblitz finale 22nd-28th September.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · 17d

Some #Speyside finds for this week’s #Wildflowerhour.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from TL: Common Knapweed, Yarrow, Rosebay Willowherb, White Clover, Hedgerow Cranesbill, White Campion, Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Common Heather, Devil’s-bit Scabious & Grass of Parnassus.

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

Scottish Wildlife Trust @scotwildlife.bsky.social · Aug 27

Do you want to make your neighbourhood better for wildlife?

Join us in Glasgow for a friendly, informal workshop, open to anyone who wants to organise action for nature in their community. The workshop will run on 16 September at 10am and 2 October at 7pm.

Sign up - bit.ly/3UGTQqp

A photo of a person kneeling down tending to some plants. The person is wearing a vibrant red top and denim blue sun hat. They are amidst lots of colourful plants tending to various flowers and vegetables. The person in the photo is part of the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Nextdoor Nature Pioneers Programme.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Sep 7

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour
Including a few for the #seedhead challenge.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Heather, Lady’s bedstraws & Devil’s-bit Scabious.

White clover, Yarrow, Hedge Bindweed, Oxeye Daisy, Common Hogweed, Angelica seedhead, Sneezewort, Common Daisy, Dandelion seedhead.

Tormentil, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Common Ragwort, Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Catsear, Lady’s Bedstraws, Lesser Spearwort, Black Medic & Creeping Buttercup

Creeping Thistle, Marsh woundwort, Knapweed, Heather, Red Clover, Purple Toadflax, Rosebay Willow herb, Cross-leaved Heath, Devil’s-bit Scabious.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Sep 2

Oops a few days late! But here are a few #Speyside finds for the #Wildflowerhour #fruit challenge🍒.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95 #berries #autumn

Clockwise from top-left: Bramble, Blaeberry, Rowan, Cowberry, Bitter Sweet, Crowberry, Honeysuckle, Cranberry & Elderberries

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

Butterfly Conservation @savebutterflies.bsky.social · Aug 30

Not ready to stop counting butterflies yet?

Good news! You can help butterflies and moths all year round by recording your sightings through the iRecord Butterflies app 👉 https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies

📷: Green-veined White - Iain H Leach

A backlit Green-veined White perched on devil's-bit scabious

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Aug 17

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour
Including a few🌼 for the #DaisyFamily challenge.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from top-left: Catsear, Common Daisy, Tansy, Oxeye Daisy, Common Ragwort, Corn Chamomile, Corn Marigold, Feverfew, Dandelion (Taraxacum sp.)

Clockwise from top-left: Common Knapweed, Creeping Thistle, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Sneezewort, Melancholy Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Cornflower, Yarrow & Aster

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme @pomscheme.bsky.social · Aug 11

The theme for yesterday's #WildFlowerHour was #PollinatorPals - check the tag for some great examples of pollinators in action, from @wildflowerhour.bsky.social, and if you've enjoyed watching pollinators have a go at counting them with a PoMS FIT Count ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Aug 10

Oops! Missed Tachina grossa off the alt-text species list! Spotted quite a few of these chunky orange-faced parasitoids a few weeks ago- which strangely coincided with the visit of another bloated, orange-faced parasitoid.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Aug 10

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour
Including a few blooms with wee beasties for the #PollinatorPals challenge.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from top-left: Corn Cockle, Self Heal, Common Knapweed, Common Daisy, Melancholy Thistle, Cornflower, Rosebay Willowherb, Ox-eye Daisy, Devil’s-bit Scabious

Pollinators on Corn Marigold. clockwise from top-left: Grey-banded Mining-bee, Double-square Spot, Lasioglossum sp. Fagisyrphus cincta, Eristalis pertinax, Heliophilus pendulus, Eristalis arbustorum, Episyrphus balteatus.

Four-banded Bee-grabber on Common Ragwort.

Hoverfly Fagisyrphus cincta on Corn Chamomile.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Aug 8

Yes, does look like a Carabus ground beetle larva.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jul 27

Happy #BogDay! Celebrating brilliant bogs and their importance for carbon sequestration, water capture & purification, gorgeous habitats, specialist biodiversity, history & culture. Find out more at bogday.org

Boggy blooms: Common Heather, Bell Heather & Cross-leaved Heath

Large Heath butterfly. A peatland-specialist. Their caterpillars feel on Cotton-grasses.

The lovely Tansley Bog at Loch Maree within the Beinn Eighe NNR. I visited this lovely wee bog earlier this year.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jul 27

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour
Including a few for the #DeadNettleFamily challenge.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from top-left: Common Restharrow, White Campion, Marsh Woundwort, Wild Pansy, Common Storksbill, Harebells, Bifid Hemp-nettle, Field Pansy, White Dead-nettle.

Clockwise from Top-left: Marsh Marigold, Meadow Vetchling, Sticky Groundsel, Lady’s Bedstraw, Common Catsear, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Lesser Spearwort, Common Ragwort, Marsh Thistle.

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

RSPB Scotland @rspbscotland.bsky.social · Jul 27

It’s #BogDay and this time last year, the Flow Country became the first peat bog in the world awarded World Heritage Site status 🎉

Healthy peatlands can:
🔒 Act as carbon sinks, locking away CO2
💧 Improve water quality
💪 Support flood management
🏠 Provide a home for wildlife

📷 Paul Turner, Andy Hay

Close up of Sphagnum moss with Common sundew

Black-throated diver taking off from water

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

Rosemary Mosco @rosemarymosco.com · Jul 21

Happy National Moth Week. I've been mothing for many years now and I love them so much.

A comic called Types of Moths. A small green and white moth is labeled bird poop. A moth with huge antennae is labeled gets wifi. A huge moth is labeled large friend. A tiny micromoth is labeled beautiful pattern, probably. A tussock moth is labeled impossible to ID to species. A generic brownish beige moth is labeled tha tone, you know, with the thing - arg, I forget the name. A pink and yellow moth is labeled stuffed toy. A sphinx moth is labeled so dizzyingly complex that it consumes your soul. A green moth is labeled ooh, green.

A drawing called puppy vs moth. A cute puppy and a fuzzy moth are both labeled cute, fuzzy, and small but only the moth is labeled quiet.

Arched Hooktip (Deprana arcuata), American Dagger (Acronicta Americana), ?, Bold-feathered Grass Moth (Herpetogramma pertextalis)

Black Zigzag Moth (Panthea acronyctoides), Drexel's Datana (Datana drexelii), Harris' Three-Spot (Harrisimemna trisignata), Waved Sphinx (Ceratomia undulosa)

Painted Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia fucosa), Scarlet Underwing (Catocala coccinata), Large Lace-border (Scopula limboundata), Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda)

?, Red-fringed Emerald (Nemoria bistriaria), Large Maple Spanworm Moth (Prochoerodes lineola), Clemens' Grass Tubeworm Moth (Acrolophus popeanella)

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jul 20

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour
Including a few Harebells💙 for the #HarebellChallenge
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from topleft: Ragged Robin, Harebell, Rosebay Willowherb, Harebells, Foxgloves, Feverfew, Eyebright, Vipers Bugloss, Bog Asphodel.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jul 13

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from top-left: Bell Heather, Common Valerian, Musk Mallow, Common Goldenrod, Common Knapweed, Yarrow, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Common Ragwort & River Water-Crowfoot.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jul 6

Some #Speyside finds for #Wildflowerhour.
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #Moray #VC95

Clockwise from top-left: Zig-zag Clover, Clustered Bellflower, Rosebay Willowherb, Common Hogweed, Red Campion, Tufted Vetch, Two-flowered Everlasting-pea, Dog Rose, Bird’s-foot Trefoil.

Clockwise from top-left:Creeping Buttercup, Scentless Mayweed, Greater Bird’s-foot trefoil, Fox&Cubs, Common Monkeyflower, Yarrow, Common Ragwort, Bird’s-foot Treofil, Cornflower.

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Reposted by Scott Shanks

Geoff Wilkinson @geoffwilkinson.bsky.social · Jul 3

Solitary Bee Identification Workshop at Grantown-on-Spey in Highland on Thurs 7th Aug 2025. #solitarybees #hymenoptera

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jun 29

Some #Deeside finds for #Wildflowerhour from within the Cairngorms National Park
@cairngormsnews.bsky.social
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Upland Wildflowers from Braemar: clockwise from top-left: Bird’s-foot trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Mountain Pansy, Alpine Bistort, Tormentil, Alpine Lady’s-mantel, Bell Heather, Lesser Wintergreen & Wood Cranesbill.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jun 29

Final post for #insectweek! We have 23 species of resident #dragonflies & #damselflies (Odonata) in Scotland. Azure Hawker, Northern Damselfly & Northern Emerald only breed in Scotland within the UK. Find out more at british-dragonflies.org.uk
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social @royentsoc.bsky.social

Male Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea). Fairly common and widespread in Scotland, but this species has undergone significant declines in England and across Europe. https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/european-red-list-of-dragonflies-and-damselflies-_de-knijf-and-al-2024.pdf

Four-spot Chasers (Libellula quadrimaculata), a fairly common and widespread species across the U.K.

Northern Damselfy (Coenagrion hastulatum) larva. This blue damselfly species is restricted to the Cairngorms and North-east Scotland. It’s a priority species of the British Dragonfly Society & the Cairngorms National Park. The spotting behind the head and hinge-like nodes in the caudal lamellae are key larval ID features.

Northern Emerald (Somatochlora arctica) larva. This peatland specialist generally breeds in shallow bog pools and tunnels with lots of aquatic sphagnum mosses. Adults are often seen at the edge of woodlands or around scattered trees at the edge of moorland, but larvae may be found in pools quite a distance from trees.

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Scott Shanks @scottshanks.bsky.social · Jun 29

It’s #insectweek! In the UK we have ~47 species of #Shieldbugs in the Hemiptera superfamily Pentatomoidea, (which generally have a shield-like shape). Many feed on trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers & berries, but others are predatory on beetle larvae or caterpillars.

Scottish Shiledbugs. Clockwise from top-left: Spiked Shieldbug, Hawthorn Shieldbug, Juniper Shieldbug, Parent Bug, Hairy Shieldbug, Birch Shieldbug, Heather Shieldbug, Gorse Shieldbug & Blue Shieldbug

Skateboarding Shieldbug! Not every day you come across a tiny skateboard on a fence with a Hawthorn Shieldbug!

The Shieldbug Fly (Phasia hemiptera), a parasitic Tachinid fly that parasitises shieldbugs. This pair photographed in
Glasgow in 2023.

The Blue Shieldbug/ Zircon Shieldbug (Zircona caerulea). I’ve only found this species on lowland raised bogs where it’s generally feeding on Heather Beetle larvae. Always nice to find one.

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