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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 29m

No. I don't know which beetle you mean, but ladybirds eat aphids & scale insects and so are beneficial for the trees.

David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 14h

A Pine Ladybird being dwarfed between two f. spectabilis Harlequin Ladybirds, found today in an oak tree (there were lots of Larches & Yews around too) in north Shropshire. Similar but also rather different!

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Reposted by David W. Williams

HarbsBugPics @phazonharbinger.bsky.social · Nov 20

Nesoecia nigrispina are quite a chunky yet formidable species. #cricket #grasshopper #katydid #insect #bug #macro #wildlife

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Reposted by David W. Williams

𓆧 @0rthoptera.bsky.social · 2d

everyone to their own leaf 🍃

Nesoecia nigrispina male (top) and female (bottom), sitting each on their own dry oak leaf

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Dr Perry Beasley-Hall @pbeasleyhall.bsky.social · 1d

Cooloola monsters are weird, chunky insects endemic to South East Queensland, Australia. They're probably related to king crickets (Anostostomatidae), but not much is known about their evolution. The wingless females live permanently underground. #EverydayEnsifera

📸: Visit Gympie Region

A pale insect with tiny eyes digging underground. It looks almost like a fat potato with legs.

Source: https://www.visitgympieregion.com.au/great-experiences/wildlife/

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Mandy Forde @mandyforde.bsky.social · 21h

I know I've said it before but I definitely need a longer fence 😲
It's getting to peak garden #Chough numbers now and it's only early October.
I'm guessing the daily count might top 70 this Winter.
Photos taken with my phone about 2 foot from the fence line.
#Anglesey
#WildWebsWednesday

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Samantha Batty @yorkshireeden.bsky.social · 16h

The best from our garden last night. A lovely pink Vestal, Clifden Nonpareil, Dewick's Plusia and Merveille du Jour. S.Yorkshire. #TeamMoth @bcyorkshire.bsky.social

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Owen Leyshon @dungenessowen.bsky.social · 21h

Taken the lawnmower way out to the Pilot Path, Dungeness today for its annual mow

This is to help the Autumn Ladies Tresses as there are no sheep or goats to do the munching

Moved a Large Conehead out the way - which is my first of the year

@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@kentfieldclub.bsky.social

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 1d

Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata) seen recently at an organic farm in South Shropshire.

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Dr Perry Beasley-Hall @pbeasleyhall.bsky.social · 2d

There are ~18,000 species of katydids, crickets, & allies worldwide - over 32,000 if you include questionable names. I thought it'd be fun to showcase some weird, beautiful, or unusual species daily. First up is Orophus tessellatus, a katydid from Central America! #EverydayEnsifera

📸: Karl Kroeker

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 2d

Pete's incredible photos help me relive the experience of watching these magnificent birds!

Peter Howlett @cardiffbirder.bsky.social · 2d

Two juv Hobbies turned up on the River Ely last week while I was away, I really didn't expect them to still be there today in some lovely light and blue skies #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #naturephotography

A Hobby clasps a headless dragonfly in its right talon, it has just bitten the head off and is chewing on it

A Hobby holds a dragonfly in its right talon and is pecking at it

A Hobby holds a dragonfly in its right talon and is about to take a bite of the body

A Hobby soars past the photographer, wings outstretched, against blue sky, showing off the dark eye masks, spotted underwings, striped underside and striped tail

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 2d

Hobbies!! In recent days, birders & others have been treated to the incredible aerial displays of 2 juvenile Hobbies, expertly catching dragonflies along the River Ely. My photographic attempts are poor but my memories of watching them will remain. ⭐💚 #BirdingWales

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Reposted by David W. Williams

VC40Ladybirds 🐞 @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social · 2d

Not a good shot by any means, but I just love the refraction of the hairs on this Dot Ladybird (Stethorus pusillus) making all colours of the rainbow, and giving little star bursts too! At lunchtime today in Shropshire #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

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Reposted by David W. Williams

VC40Ladybirds 🐞 @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social · 2d

Blustery Sunday in Shrops: Adalia bipunctata (2-spot LB) under pine bark, Coccinella septempunctata (7-spot LB) + Rhyzobius chrysomeloides (Arboreal LB) + Nephus quadrimaculatus (Ivy LB), 7-spot + Stethorus pusillus (Dot LB), & Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked LB) pair #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 3d

Female Common Earwig (Forficula auricularia complex) seen at an organic farm in south Shrops recently. 'F. auricularia' is a complex of 4 spp., 2 of which have been found in Britain (auricularia s.s. & dentata). They need to be DNA barcoded to separate. Nothing is ever easy...

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Tom Hibbert @wildlifetom.bsky.social · 4d

A windswept walk around Retford Cemetery yielded six species of shieldbug and six species of ladybird, mostly clinging to metal railings. Eyed Ladybird was a nice surprise!

#Coleoptera #Hemiptera

An eyed ladybird, with pale rings around its black spots, clings to a metal railing

A pine ladybird clinging to a railing. It’s an all black ladybird with red markings on the wing cases

A parent bug on a laurel leaf. It’s a reddish-brown bug with a black and yellow chequered pattern around the edge of its body

A green shieldbug clings to a metal railing, with a few 7-spot ladybirds nearby

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Andrew Jewels @andrew-jewels.bsky.social · 5d

A rare and transient Kelvin-Helmholtz wave cloud formation north of Walberswick, Suffolk, seen last Wednesday 1st October.

A wave like cloud formation in an overcast sky, with sea and a harbour wall below.

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 6d

Three species of micro ladybird seen recently at an organic farm in South Shropshire: a pair of Meadow Ladybirds (Rhyzobius litura); a female Red-rumped Ladybird (Scymnus haemorrhoidalis) and a Red Marsh Ladybird (Coccidula rufa).

Meadow Ladybirds, showing some variation in their markings

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Andrew Jewels @andrew-jewels.bsky.social · 6d

Single 7-spot (Coccinella septempunctata), Forestier's (Rhyzobius forestieri) and Arboreal (R. chrysomeloides) Ladybirds tapped out of a Firethorn shrub in an Upshire garden a couple of days ago, showing the size difference between the three species. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds #MicroLadybirds

7-spot, Forestier's and Arboreal Ladybirds on a pale canvas background

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Andy Pym @exmoormothman.bsky.social · 6d

Feathered Ranunculus nfy and the best from the trap this morning.
#teammoth

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 7d

A coastal walk today turned up a Wheatear on the beach at St Mary's Well Bay; 4 Stonechats, an elusive Clouded yellow & a more co-operative Painted lady in the coastal fields.
Oh, & this gorgeous moth came hurtling in the window last night, attracted to my desk lamp - a Barred sallow, I believe.

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Terry & Judy Wood @tandjwood.bsky.social · 6d

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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Reposted by David W. Williams

Andrew Jewels @andrew-jewels.bsky.social · 7d

A Red-flanked Ladybird (Scymnus interruptus) flanked by a pair of much larger 7-spot Ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata), all tapped out of a Euonymus shrub in my Waltham Abbey garden a couple of days ago. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds #InconspicuousLadybirds

Two 7-spot Ladybirds with a tiny Red-flanked Ladybird between them, all sitting on a pale canvas background

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Reposted by David W. Williams

Andrew Jewels @andrew-jewels.bsky.social · 8d

A tight cluster of Striped Shielbugs (Graphosoma italicum), plus a 7-spot Ladybird, on a Hemlock stem in Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey yesterday. A total of 19 adults and five nymphs counted on this one plant. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs

A tight cluster of Striped Shieldbugs on a Hemlock stem with a 7-spot Ladybird at the back.

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David W. Williams @vc40orthops.bsky.social · 8d

A recent trip to an organic farm in South Shropshire produced epic quantities of 16-spot Ladybirds from grass tussocks. A sign of oncoming winter I presume, as they congregate to se out the dark days. The sound of them cascading into my beating tray was quite impressive!

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