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robyaxley.bsky.social
Naturalist: lichens, moths, beetles, bugs and anything else that catches my eye. “What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.”
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Some green stuff from today’s excursion with Norfolk Flora Group. Soft Shield Fern, Sweet Woodruff and Thujopsis dolabrata (Japanese Hiba).

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

Some cool beetles from today - Hazel Leaf-roller, Rhagium mordax and Elaphrus cupreus.

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

My Leatherbug is more Denticulate than your Leatherbug.

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

The largest UK cranefly, Tipula maxima, was a nice surprise near the light trap this morning. I do enjoy a good cranefly.

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Always a pleasure to come across a Golden-fringed Mason Bee (Osmia aurulenta) nest! This is one of 3 UK bee species to nest in empty snail shells. A female had just finished pasting leaf mastic over the entrance to the shell when I came across her yesterday at Porth Neigwl. #SolitaryBeeWeek

submitted 6 days ago • 5 comments

The cranefly Ptychoptera contaminata on an Iris petal. Spectacular size difference - female above, male below.

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Gyalecta jenensis, on the shaded wooded limestone Quarries in the steep Scarp woodland of Stanley & Penn woods this weekend,lovely brown thallus and splendid abundant Orange Apothecia.

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

Is this your doing @comicterns.bsky.social ?

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

Brown argus and slow worm behaving nicely early on this morning. Pirri pirri bur not so welcome.

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Marsh stitchwort at East Walton Common yesterday. #wildflowerhour

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Vacancy | Assistant Warden, WWT Welney We are looking for a proactive individual with a passion for British wildlife to join the flock. The role is very varied including surveying, habitat management, livestock checks, guided walks Closing date: 30 May 2025 More info 👉 bit.ly/3F7DAdV

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

A patch of licheny material on a mossy brick wall in my garden looks to be Vezdaea leprosa, with tiny loosely organised apothecia and long squirly paraphyses. 1st occurrence in VC28.

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Interesting link to article about different perceptions of lichen interactions with building stone

submitted 10 days ago • 1 comment

A very small patch of Opegrapha areniseda on Cromer church yesterday, and some very fancy flint knapping!

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

@suffolkseawatcher.bsky.social this is right up your ally! #Anas

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

Here’s that Puss Moth photo you wanted.

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

A few of the 35 cockchafers in the trap this morning. Absolute units.

submitted 14 days ago • 3 comments

Platrhinus resinosus, the Cramp-ball Fungus Weevil, must be having a population boom at the moment with Ash dieback creating lots of opportunity for its host fungus.

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

More Dryad’s Saddle, but this time accompanied by the beetles Diaperis boleti and Dacne bipustulata.

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

Marpissa muscosa is pretty big for a jumping spider. There were several individuals on this dead oak.

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

Out of Norfolk for a day or two, in the exotic surroundings of South Cambs. I came across this Ischnomera cyanea on a tree trunk, which is nice cuz there aren’t many records from Norfolk.

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment

Dryad’s Saddle looking a) slightly odd, b) pretty cool.

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment

Netted Pug (Eupithecia venosata) - North Antrim, May 2025. Three of these beautiful pugs last night on the local cliffs. A scarce moth in Ireland but one I get most years. #nettedpug #mothsmatter #teammoth @ulsterwildlife.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @europebutterfly.bsky.social

submitted 20 days ago • 8 comments

While overseeing a roof strip today, I noticed that there was an unusual lichen on the pan tiles. Turns out to be Stereocaulon vesuvianum, a predominantly western UK species of acid stone. Only a few previous county records, from disused railways.

submitted 20 days ago • 1 comment

A worrying pattern from Labour of just making stuff up. They didn't do an impact assessment before putting the axe to the NHS. www.theguardian.com/society/2025... They don't have anything to back up their claim that environmental legislation blocks building. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

submitted 20 days ago • 8 comments

1/3 🧵 As we appropriately say in Britain, Stone the Crows Turns out the war on bats & newts our current Govt has rhetorically engaged in is all made up Maybe they've been listening to developers who just don't like the annoying job of looking after wildlife www.theguardian.com/environment/...

submitted 20 days ago • 3 comments

Don't take it from me. Take it from the government's own assessment: Everything Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have said about nature protection blocking house building is big fat shining lie. A lie now being locked into legislation before Parliament. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

submitted 20 days ago • 38 comments

Think it's time the gov backtracked on this dreadful developer's charter. #TrashForCash www.theguardian.com/environment/...

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

A Nematopogon swammerdamella (Large Longhorn) on oak bark in the garden earlier.

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

Lumpy non-pruinose areoles with pruinose apothecia - 1-septate spores. My tentative conclusion was Lecania rabenhorstii (with a bit of Diplotomma amongst it). #LichenGBI

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

A couple of gravestone invertebrates today. Pine cone bug (Gastrodes grossipes) and Dasysyrphus albostriatus - a hoverfly. Both new to me.

submitted 22 days ago • 1 comment

This burial cross held the most amazing population of the pinhead lichen Chaenotheca ferruginea with thousands of fruiting bodies. Walsingham.

submitted 22 days ago • 1 comment

Parmelina tiliacea has brown tipped isidia spread over the even grey lobes. There are only 2 previous county records, but it was frequent on gravestone tops at Walsingham today. Nice!

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

Purple Milk-vetch and Rare Spring Sedge from the Brecks the other day. #wildflowerhour

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

Moths on tree trunks today at Blickling Park: Psyche casta (common bagworm) larva, Taleporia tubulosa (brown bagworm) case, Phyllonorycter harrisella (white oak midget) and Phyllonorycter maestingella (beech midget).

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

The latest in an occasional series of Spot the Moth. Bonus point for species!

submitted 24 days ago • 3 comments