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Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

Not sure why this hasn’t appeared on the #Neuroptera feed yet - hopefully just a matter of timing and it will be there soon. Love seeing examples of Neuroptera and allied orders from other parts of the globe.

Aussie Moths @wa-moths.bsky.social · 2d

This small lacewing was a more unusual visitor to the garden light recently. Identified on #inaturalist as Carobius pulchellus, a member of the Brown Lacewing family (Hemerobiidae). This is just the 3rd observation of this species in WA

#ausinverts #wildoz #Neuroptera #lacewing #bugsky #nature

Picture of a small lacewing insect on a white background. The insect has quite rounded, generally translucent wings with a number of distinct brown spots and clear veins

November 14, 2025 at 9:13 AM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

#BirdHybrid

Andy Mackay @leicesterllama.bsky.social · 3d

The Lesser Scaup at Swithland Res had disappeared by the time I went to look for it this afternoon, but I did see something even rarer - this Gadwall x Mallard hybrid. #VC55Birds #UKBirding

A male Gadwall x Mallard hybrid, apparently paired with a female Gadwall. The bill almost looks Pintail-like in shape and pattern (although not colour), but is actually typical of this hybrid. See https://birdhybrids.blogspot.com/2014/03/gadwall-x-mallard.html for more examples.

November 13, 2025 at 7:08 AM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Mike Edgecombe

@mikee100.bsky.social

Terrific Pallid Swift at West Runton today.

November 11, 2025 at 7:47 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

Just watched this video - really interesting and informative. Worth a watch if you haven’t already.

Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · 17d

A video is now available of the lecture I gave last week to the Linnean Society & British Ornithologists' Club in London, on woodland birds, Marsh Tits & Willow Tits (~45 mins): www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7HF... #ornithology #ukbirding @ukceh.bsky.social

A Quietening of the Woods | The Decline of Woodland Birds

YouTube video by Linnean Society

www.youtube.com

November 9, 2025 at 9:28 AM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

TG42Birder🇵🇸

@tg42birder.bsky.social

A great website.

Full of crucial info and ideas for how to live in a way that gives us a fighting chance of avoiding catastrophe.

I’ve threaded it to break it up a little… 1/17

#lowcarbonliving

www.tudelft.nl/sustainabili...

November 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

A case well made in this thread…

Steve Preddy @stevepreddy.bsky.social · 15d

I thought it worth copying (with a few small edits) my short thread here from 2021 from the platform which shall not be named, on why there are perfectly valid grammar-based reasons for supporting Graeme’s view on this. 1/8

Graeme Lyons @graemelyons.bsky.social · 15d

You can always send them to my blog here and my campaign analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2021/08/why-...

November 1, 2025 at 11:13 AM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

#BirdHybrid

Mick Brooks @mick666.bsky.social · 16d

www.birdguides.com/news/mixed-s...

Mixed-species diver pair successfully breeds in Scotland

A mixed pair consisting of a Great Northern Diver and a Black-throated Diver successfully bred in the Scottish Highlands in 2024 and again in 2025, it has been revealed. The birds were initially disco...

www.birdguides.com

October 31, 2025 at 1:11 AM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

*241* mph?! That’s a lotta wind.

For context, sustained winds of 74mph are enough to label it a hurricane. The most catastrophic category 5 hurricanes only have to be 156mph.

They’re also expecting it to drop more rain than most of England gets in a whole year.

Knappabergeht @taneblixen.bsky.social · 19d

388 km/h Rekord-Windböe! Hurricane MELISSA erreicht mit 241 mph (etwa 388 km/h) einen Rekord für die stärkste Windböe, die je bei einem Hurrikan im Atlantik gemessen wurde!

Quelle: Yale Climate, Yale University

October 27, 2025 at 10:48 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

A good day to come across this account: apparently it’s the 10th anniversary of my Brown Shrike find…

Brown Shrike at Porthgwarra on 20th October 2025.

October 20, 2025 at 7:24 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

I had fun identifying Conopid flies today including two recent Ivy Waspgrabbers (Leopoldius signatus) and one from last year. Armed with this experience I revisited and confirmed a suspected Early Waspgrabber (Leopoldius brevirostris) from 2020, quite rare apparently. All four had come to light.

Male Leopoldius signatus (Ivy Waspgrabber), dorsal view, a distinctive yellow and black fly that is believed to attack wasps.

Male Leopoldius signatus (Ivy Waspgrabber), side view.

Male Leopoldius brevirostris (Early Waspgrabber), dorsal view, another distinctive yellow and black fly that seems to be quite rarely recorded.

Male Leopoldius brevirostris (Early Waspgrabber), side view.

A pair of black lines down the side of the face (not visible in these photos) pointed to this ID but I had been concerned by the dark patches on the femora that are not supposed to be present on this species. However today I was able to compare the epandrium of both species side by side and clinch the identification.

October 12, 2025 at 10:50 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

The number of Harlequin Ladybirds hibernating in my kitchen went up yesterday: 18 late morning, up to at least 54 by evening. I usually get 2- and 7-spot Ladybirds hibernating in my study and Harlequins in the kitchen but this is more than usual.

A clutser of Harlequin #Ladybirds resting between the vent and the ceiling above my kitchen window.

The ladybirds show a mixture of colour forms, mostly orange with black spots (some larger spots than others, some with few or faint spots). A few are black forms with two or four red spots.

#hibernation

A larger group of Harlequin Ladybirds in the same place as in the last photo. They're covering themselves up so it's hard to get an exact count but I reckon there are at least 54 visible (if only just).

#UKBeetles #UKInverts

October 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

I'm working on my specimens caught over the summer. This from my garden moth trap on 13th June appears to be Deleaster dichrous, although there were some problems keying it (tarsus 4 not simple for starters). Not many records in Norfolk (only one up to the end of 2021, don't know after that).

Deleaster dichrous, a smallish rove beetle, as I found it on an eggbox in my moth trap.

A better view of the Deleaster dichrous in a pot.

The pronotum, elytra and appendages are reddish and the head and abdomen are mostly blackish.

Another view of the Deleaster dichrous in a pot.

October 3, 2025 at 3:37 PM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Ian Carter

@iancarter67.bsky.social

This has received no publicity but is damning. A clear explanation of why this type of reintroduction is not just a distraction and a waste of resources but is ACTIVELY HARMFUL to conservation. Environmental journalists please note and please publicise.

operationturtledove.org/captive-rele...

Operation Turtle Dove’s view on the release of captive-bred Turtle Doves as a conservation measure - Operation Turtle Dove

Operation Turtle Dove is a science-led conservation partnership working to reverse the decline of Turtle Doves in the UK by restoring habitat and addressing key threats. Learn why captive-bred release...

operationturtledove.org

September 21, 2025 at 5:43 AM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

Diasemiopsis ramburialis (Migrant Sable) in mid Norfolk last night. I’ve caught lots of good moths here incl. 3 county firsts but this may be the rarest @migrantmothuk.bsky.social so far.

4th for Norfolk (3rd this year) unless @norfolkmoths.bsky.social has others pending.

#NorfolkMoths #TeamMoth

Diasemiopsis ramburialis (Migrant Sable) taken from the side showing how it sometimes stands with the front of its body raised.

The wings are brown with irregular white barring.

#MigrantMoths

The same Diasemiopsis ramburialis (Migrant Sable) taken from above. It usually rested flatter to the ground as here.

The rear edge of the wings aren’t smoothly curved but the jagged-edged effect is exaggerated by the alternating patches of dark brown and white along its cilia.

#TeamMoth
#MigrantMothsUK

September 20, 2025 at 3:49 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

I like it when a #newt shows up at my moth trap. I've had Smooth Newts here a few times now but previously they've always been unspotty juveniles (one was a little spotty).

#Amphibians

Smooth Newt: dorsal view on a white background

#Amphibia

Smooth Newt side view of head and front of body

#Amphibian

Smooth Newt side view showing spots on bottom of body

Smooth Newt climbing plastic showing underside of front including spots and orange stripe down belly (which continued along tail).

September 18, 2025 at 5:42 PM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Richard Moyse

@kentgrasshoppers.bsky.social

Does anyone know of papers documenting the impact of Asian Hornets on insect populations (other than Honey Bees)? A statement on the Kent Downs National Landscape site says "In other parts of Europe, their arrival has led to huge declines in native insects" and I'd be interested to know more.

September 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

It would be great to have an up-to-date book on Europe's lacewings etc. but this isn't it. A hefty price for a small book that covers a small % of its too-big scope. The plates are mainly set specimens, too small to be of use. Some useful detail but limited value with so much omitted. More in ALT.

The recently-published Neuropteroids of Europe in my hand, showing the front cover. The superorder Neuroptida includes lacewings, alderflies and snakeflies, and scorpioflies are often treated together with these, but I feel it was a mistake to try and include caddisflies and stoneflies in addition. The book is smaller than I imagined, making it even harder to squeeze in a useful amount of detail. Priced at between £75 and £80 (depending on seller) it's a lot of money for a book that doesn't contain enough detail to allow reliable identification of the majority of species.

It does however contain some good stuff. There is information that's not readily available elsewhere and I think the list of references will be very helpful for knowing where to go to find out more.

Worth having if you have a special interest in the groups covered, but I don't agree with the advertising: "A true field guide, this book on neuropteroids of Europe is aimed at both beginner entomologists and professionals". If it is aimed at beginners and professionals I fear it won't hit the mark for either. It will be disappointing if you are a beginner hoping to find nice descriptions and pictures of the commoner/more distinctive species (for example most of the photos of green lacewings are pinned specimens that like they have brown bodies and white wings, too small to see any detail) and it will be disappointing if you are a professional hoping to identify tricky species (e.g. only 7 out of 49 species of waxfly mentioned and none with enough information to identify them). It does seem to be better for a few of the most eye-catching groups, for example all 12 species of Libelloides (a genus of owlflies) are covered with sufficient detail to enable identification in most cases.

September 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Liberal Democrats

@libdems.org.uk

Back our campaign to balance the BBC: www.libdems.org.uk/bbc

Balance the BBC

The BBC is our national broadcaster, people expect and deserve balanced news coverage.

www.libdems.org.uk

September 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

Paging @norfolknorwichbats.bsky.social

Jon @norfolkbirder.bsky.social · Sep 7

Sitting on Cley beach this morning and what I thought was a bird landed just behind me.
Soon realised it was in fact a bat. Was very mobile amongst the pebbles looking for food. After 2-3 mins it flew off.
Can anyone help with ID please?
Thank you.
#bat #bats #batid #norfolk

September 7, 2025 at 3:04 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

I caught this Wasp Nest Beetle (Metoecus paradoxus) in my moth trap last night, a new species and family for me. They lay eggs in rotting wood that a wasp might harvest. If one does then the larvae climb on to the wasp, hitch a lift to its nest and then parasitise the wasp larvae. Neat trick.

Wasp Nest Beetle (Metoecus paradoxus) from my garden moth trap (North Elmham, VC28).

A reddish brown beetle with a distinctive shape tapering to a point at the rear. The black antennae are feathery and the black legs very long.

Another view of the Wasp Nest #Beetle

#UKbeetles #UKInverts

A side view of the Wasp Nest Beetle.

From this angle you can see the body is quite chunky, black on the head and thorax and orange on the abdomen (except at the tip which is black).

Another view of the Wasp Nest Beetle. Here it is walking around without its elytra (wing-cases) held apart to reveal the orange abdomen. The membranous wings themselves are extended so these are visible beyond the elytra.

September 7, 2025 at 3:01 PM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Martin Lewis

@martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com

Expect your mobile to go off 3pm Sunday! Be prepared for a test of the Govt's emergency alert system. Full info... www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/09...

LIVING WITH DOMESTIC ABUSE? If you've a hidden mobile, you the link above has details of how to opt out of the alert.

Pls share

September 2, 2025 at 10:05 AM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

How many generations do Ruby Tigers have? They're said to have two, one in spring and a larger one in Jul-Sep. But my records show a dip in late Aug, and phenology charts at @norfolkmoths.bsky.social & other county websites reflect this pattern so I wonder if they have 3, spring, Jun-Aug & Sep?

A Ruby Tiger. Not one of the four I caught here last night, but one photographed a few years ago.

A reddish-coloured moth with some dark spots on the forewings. You can just see the brigher red abodomen poking out between the wings.

#TeamMoth #NorfolkMoths

A graph showing the distribution through the year of 187 records of 376 Ruby Tigers from my garden moth trap between August 2014 when I moved here and last night. It shows a single record in mid May, futher records from mid June to late August, more-or-less normally distributed and peaking in late July, and then an increase in early September tailing off during the same month. The months, split into third-months, are on the x axis and the number of records (in blue) and number of additional individuals counted (in red) are shown on the y axis (though the y axis isn't labelled for reasons I won't go into now).

This pattern, a small peak in spring, a much larger peak in July to August dipping at the end of August before a third peak in September seems to be reflected in the phenology charts at most of the county moth websites I've checked (with a couple of exceptions where the late August dip is not apparent).

The marked dip in late August could just be coincidence, but as the pattern is reflected in many of the larger county datasets I suspect it is significant (although the phenology chart in the Atlas of Britain and Ireland's Larger Moths doesn't seem to show any dip in late August). At least some of the moths I've caught in September have been reasonably fresh (though I shall pay more attention to this in future) suggesting that they are recently-emerged and not end-of-season stragglers.

September 6, 2025 at 4:56 PM

Dave Appleton

@applewildlife.bsky.social

Best thing in the trap this week was the mayfly Heptagenia sulphurea (Common Yellow Dun) which has quite a restricted distribution in East Anglia. See ALT text for notes about its changing eye colour. Also two Clifden Nonpareils were nice, the first time I've caught two in a year. #NorfolkMoths

The mayfly Heptagenia sulphurea (Common Yellow Dun). This was taken when I found it, freshly-arrived in the evening, and the eyes are black. When adults first emerge as sub-imago they have black eyes but judging from the various photos of sub-imagos with blue eyes, they often (usually?) turn blue before they complete their moult to imago. But this is an imago (the wing membrane is clear, except the yellow leading edge), so do they sometimes complete their moult before their eyes change colour, or do they turn black again when they moult to imago? I'm guessing the former is more likely but would love to know.

A bright yellow #mayfly with two tails. #riverfly

The same mayfly Heptagenia sulphurea (Common Yellow Dun) taken early the following morning, and now the eyes have turned blue.

This species is common across much of the UK but much less so in East Anglia.

#UKinverts #Mayflies #Riverflies

Clifden Nonpareil caught in my garden moth trap on Sunday night. I caught a second with the mayfly on Wednesday night.

A huge moth at the bottom of my moth trap. It's forewings and body are brownish-grey with intricate darker markings, some orangey. It's holding its forewings apart so revealing the hindwings which are blue-black with a broad pastel blue curved bar running across them, giving rise to its alternative name Blue Underwing.

#TeamMoth

September 6, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Reposted by Dave Appleton

Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society

@norfolknats.bsky.social

The Norfolk county recorder & verifier starter pack has been updated to include @norfolkbirds.bsky.social . You can see the whole list here: go.bsky.app/V4aGdWk or via the starter pack menu on our profile.

September 5, 2025 at 8:30 PM