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Terry & Judy Wood

@tandjwood.bsky.social

760 followers 550 following 400 posts

Recorders & photographers all types of wildlife but especially Dragons & Damsels, Bees, Butterflies, Hovers, Bugs, Wasps, Flies, Moths, Birds, Mammals, etc, etc. Have a wildlife friendly (very!) garden in Northants. Also love travel, music, art & lots more

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 2d

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 2d

Haven't seen a Bronze Shieldbug (Troilus luridus) for a while but found this one today in the garden feeding on an unfortunate Scarlet Tiger caterpillar. Incidentally, we have literally hundreds of the latter in the garden this year! @rockwolf74.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 7d

Thanks Will. Our 1st Nysius and unfortunately the hind claw is at 90 degrees which doesn't help.... If it appears again we'll try to get some better shots.

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 7d

Spotted a female Dark Bush Cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) just outside the landing window above the climbing rose "Blush Noisette". They are a great favourite of ours with their almost prehistoric amour plated appearance. 🦗 @vc40orthops.bsky.social

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 7d

We spotted a Groundbug on a Rudbeckia flower (Compositae) and think it may be a Nysius senecionis? The 1st segment of the hind tarsus appears to be less than combined length of the 2nd, 3rd segment and claw. Help appreciated @britishbugs.bsky.social @willgeorge.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 10d

A male Locust Blowfly (Stomorhina lunata) blowing a bubble. After some research it appears flies do this to thermoregulate (cooling liquid and then ingest) and/or to aid digestion. Locust blowflies seen daily here on sunny days since 17th August. (3 males today) @suillia.bsky.social

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 12d

You could imagine the Mottled Shieldbug thinking: blimey, what's that! - oh, it's ok, it's a very nice Eristalis intricaria hoverfly! Seen in the garden on Friday.🙂

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 12d

It's that time of year with lots of handsome Garden Spiders (Araneus diadematus) around. This female is hanging in space just outside the back door.

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 14d

Stunning! Seem to be doing very well these days and spreading.

Reposted by Terry & Judy Wood

Matt Bertone @bertonemyia.bsky.social · 14d

We're still looking for presentations!
Please share 😊

Matt Bertone @bertonemyia.bsky.social · 28d

**Attention fly enthusiasts!** We're looking for presenters for the Dipterists Society General Meeting at ESA @entsocamerica.bsky.social in Portland, OR (November 11th)

If you're interested in giving a talk, please DM me for a link to submit a title/abstract. Deadline to submit is October 10th.

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 15d

The Small Purple and Gold Mint Moths have had a good year here with many adults around. Spotted one of their colourful caterpillars on a mint on Monday.

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 15d

Good to see a couple of Cinnamon Bugs (Corizus hyoscyami) in the garden on Monday. Like most bugs they seem to sit around a lot taking in the vitamin D when available!. This one was on the seedheads of a marjoram. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 20d

First of the day: a pair of Pied Wagtails flying over followed by "our" House Martins which are about early today - they will probably being heading south very soon with the change of weather imminent. #FirstBirdOfMyDay

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 20d

Thanks Maria, didn't realise they could be so late - do you think they would make adulthood before winter or spend it as a nymph (like Forest Shieldbug)?

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 21d

Found this small being pootling around on the bathroom wall of all places! At c.3mm diameter we think it is a 2nd (or 3rd?) instar of a Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) which seems rather late in the season - what do you think @rockwolf74.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social ?

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 23d

The first Twin-spot Centurion Soldierflies (Sargus bipunctatus) of 2025 in the garden yesterday and good to find 2 females and a male. (one of the females in photo). @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social @kitenet.bsky.social @sjbknott.bsky.social

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 23d

Discovered a colourful character crawling up the bedroom wall yesterday - a Yellowtail moth caterpillar (Euproctis similis) probably about to make its hibernaculum for the winter. Thought it would be better off outside so placed in the wildlife hedge.

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 27d

A Lacewing larvae photographed in the garden. These c. 5mm long aphid predators - note sickle shaped jaws! - use debris, including the remains of their prey, as camouflage on their back.

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 8

Not sure how many more nests she will make but this female Wood-carving Leafcutter (Megachile ligniseca) was diligently finishing off another tube yesterday. Think it is the latest we have seen a leafcutter.

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 8

Continuing the "Bug theme" we recently spotted this Hawthorn Shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) on a Solidago leaf in the garden. Common but always a pleasure to see one. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 7

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 7

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Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 7

Interesting. We are checking them now to see what they feed on but all the ones we've seen just seem to be either sitting on a leaf or pottering about.... The main sites for them in our garden are Cotoneasters with Beech adjacent which complicates matters but can't recall seeing one on Beech!

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 7

A lighter coloured version of a Mottled - also photo'd yesterday

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · Sep 7

This one had us puzzled but it's the darkest Mottled Shieldbug (Rhaphigaster nebulosa) we've seen! In the garden yesterday and unusual to find one on a flower too - usually found on Cotoneaster leaves here. @rockwolf74.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social @viccbrown.bsky.social

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