Andy Pym
@exmoormothman.bsky.social
A raven mad naturalist with a passion for moths. Mainly Exmoor & the Bristol region.
Reposted by Andy Pym
My first invertebrate record for 2026...Boreus hyemalis (Snow Flea) at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this am. Exciting to think what else might turn up this year. 😀 @ynuorg.bsky.social #mecoptera #ukwildlife
January 1, 2026 at 4:10 PM
My first invertebrate record for 2026...Boreus hyemalis (Snow Flea) at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this am. Exciting to think what else might turn up this year. 😀 @ynuorg.bsky.social #mecoptera #ukwildlife
Who needs fireworks, eh! Much better. I got this footage standing on top of the bench in the back garden in Filton a short while ago. I nearly lent back too far!
@bristolbirding.bsky.social
@bristolbirding.bsky.social
January 1, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Who needs fireworks, eh! Much better. I got this footage standing on top of the bench in the back garden in Filton a short while ago. I nearly lent back too far!
@bristolbirding.bsky.social
@bristolbirding.bsky.social
Reposted by Andy Pym
Its that time of year again: a male Snow Flea, one of 3 seen yesterday in woodland on the Shrops/Herefords border. These 4mm relatives of Scorpionflies live in moss (esp. Polytrichum & relatives) & are winter active as adults. Not fleas of course but they can jump a bit.
November 27, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Its that time of year again: a male Snow Flea, one of 3 seen yesterday in woodland on the Shrops/Herefords border. These 4mm relatives of Scorpionflies live in moss (esp. Polytrichum & relatives) & are winter active as adults. Not fleas of course but they can jump a bit.
Nice find in Churchgate Gallery in Porlock, Somerset earlier. @vannabartlett.bsky.social your artwork features in it!
December 24, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Nice find in Churchgate Gallery in Porlock, Somerset earlier. @vannabartlett.bsky.social your artwork features in it!
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Working on some sketches for a Christmas card design. Just because I can. Snow Flea anyone?
December 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Working on some sketches for a Christmas card design. Just because I can. Snow Flea anyone?
Reposted by Andy Pym
Always love to find the gorgeous Zicrona caerulea (Blue Shieldbug) #Heteroptera #Shieldbug #Asopinae
December 21, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Always love to find the gorgeous Zicrona caerulea (Blue Shieldbug) #Heteroptera #Shieldbug #Asopinae
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A walk in the woods at Felbrigg with @jeremybartlett.bsky.social brought a longed for insect - Boreus hyemalis aka Snow Flea. Managed to spot a male then found a female and another male in a second patch of moss. Happy days!
December 19, 2025 at 6:18 PM
A walk in the woods at Felbrigg with @jeremybartlett.bsky.social brought a longed for insect - Boreus hyemalis aka Snow Flea. Managed to spot a male then found a female and another male in a second patch of moss. Happy days!
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Black-spotted Chestnut (Conistra rubiginosa) from Tuesday night in Bengeo. True winter noctuid that arrived in UK in 2011, colonised here in 2018. Population has slowly risen since but local area remains its only stronghold in Herts.
@bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth
@bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth
November 13, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Black-spotted Chestnut (Conistra rubiginosa) from Tuesday night in Bengeo. True winter noctuid that arrived in UK in 2011, colonised here in 2018. Population has slowly risen since but local area remains its only stronghold in Herts.
@bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth
@bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth
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I don’t know whether this helps with sexing. Chips at front, Gravy behind. I know I say it every day but this might be my most amazing interaction yet 😆 !! I sat down with them & they stayed for 20 mins. I am besotted! #ukbirding
December 6, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I don’t know whether this helps with sexing. Chips at front, Gravy behind. I know I say it every day but this might be my most amazing interaction yet 😆 !! I sat down with them & they stayed for 20 mins. I am besotted! #ukbirding
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1/2 #speciesaday no. 677 is Walckenaeria acuminata. Periscope up! The male of this spider has its eyes spread out along the turret - 4 half way and the other 4 at the top! This genus is an utter joy, I love showing this spider to people for the first time. Even the female has a small protrusion.
December 5, 2025 at 7:29 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 677 is Walckenaeria acuminata. Periscope up! The male of this spider has its eyes spread out along the turret - 4 half way and the other 4 at the top! This genus is an utter joy, I love showing this spider to people for the first time. Even the female has a small protrusion.
'Sleepwalking with Foxes' 😉
November 28, 2025 at 8:33 AM
'Sleepwalking with Foxes' 😉
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Is it safe to call this Callitula pyrrhogaster or are there any confusion species? I can't find a relevant key but it looks like other photos of this species and it's supposed to be distinctive. It's 1.5mm long and was found by suction in late July in grass at the edge of wet woodland in Norfolk.
November 21, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Is it safe to call this Callitula pyrrhogaster or are there any confusion species? I can't find a relevant key but it looks like other photos of this species and it's supposed to be distinctive. It's 1.5mm long and was found by suction in late July in grass at the edge of wet woodland in Norfolk.
Reposted by Andy Pym
1/2 #speciesaday no. 500 is Snow Flea (Boreus hyemalis). Not a flea but a mecopteran (same order as the scorpion-flies). Winter-active, I have seen them only twice in 2019 when I went with Tony to find them in the Wyre Forest in Feb, then stumbled on 1 in the suction sampler in the Roaches that Dec.
December 22, 2024 at 6:21 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 500 is Snow Flea (Boreus hyemalis). Not a flea but a mecopteran (same order as the scorpion-flies). Winter-active, I have seen them only twice in 2019 when I went with Tony to find them in the Wyre Forest in Feb, then stumbled on 1 in the suction sampler in the Roaches that Dec.
Reposted by Andy Pym
Just visited the Lacewing Recording Scheme website and there are lots of great identification guides available, e.g. www.laars.jamesjepson.com/neuroptera-l... - thanks to @jamesjepson.bsky.social and colleagues for putting this together
Neuroptera (Lacewings) Identification | Lacewing and Allies Recording Scheme
www.laars.jamesjepson.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Just visited the Lacewing Recording Scheme website and there are lots of great identification guides available, e.g. www.laars.jamesjepson.com/neuroptera-l... - thanks to @jamesjepson.bsky.social and colleagues for putting this together
Reposted by Andy Pym
My first Snow Flea (Boreus hyemalis) of the winter at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Nice of her to pose out in the open on a fallen leaf, so didn't need to spend hours waiting for one to emerge from the Polytrichum moss! @ynuorg.bsky.social #Mecoptera #Boreidae #ukwildlife
November 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
My first Snow Flea (Boreus hyemalis) of the winter at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Nice of her to pose out in the open on a fallen leaf, so didn't need to spend hours waiting for one to emerge from the Polytrichum moss! @ynuorg.bsky.social #Mecoptera #Boreidae #ukwildlife
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Two lifers amongst 45:13 in a maple-packed woodland last night. The target was Plumed Prominent, and by 5.30pm two females had already appeared. An hour later and we were enjoying extravagantly plumed males. A hibernating Agonopterix purpurea was also NFM, with December Moth NFY. #TeamMoth
November 8, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Two lifers amongst 45:13 in a maple-packed woodland last night. The target was Plumed Prominent, and by 5.30pm two females had already appeared. An hour later and we were enjoying extravagantly plumed males. A hibernating Agonopterix purpurea was also NFM, with December Moth NFY. #TeamMoth
Reposted by Andy Pym
🎃 Happy Halloween, from the Charnwood Spider!
🕷️ Charnwood Forest is one of the only places in the UK that you can find the spider Mastigusa diversa. Unsurprisingly, it's also known as the Charnwood Spider!
🕷️ Charnwood Forest is one of the only places in the UK that you can find the spider Mastigusa diversa. Unsurprisingly, it's also known as the Charnwood Spider!
October 31, 2025 at 8:30 AM
🎃 Happy Halloween, from the Charnwood Spider!
🕷️ Charnwood Forest is one of the only places in the UK that you can find the spider Mastigusa diversa. Unsurprisingly, it's also known as the Charnwood Spider!
🕷️ Charnwood Forest is one of the only places in the UK that you can find the spider Mastigusa diversa. Unsurprisingly, it's also known as the Charnwood Spider!
Reposted by Andy Pym
Male Horrid Ground Weaver Nothophantes horridus in Plymouth, Devon. This UK endemic usually peaks in December but I found 16 (mostly adults) one day last week so seems to be having an earlier season this year.
October 27, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Male Horrid Ground Weaver Nothophantes horridus in Plymouth, Devon. This UK endemic usually peaks in December but I found 16 (mostly adults) one day last week so seems to be having an earlier season this year.
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Hedgehog Harvestman Nemastomella bacilliferum, Plymouth, Devon, this very distinctive but tiny harvestman is found at several sites around the city. It has not been found anywhere else in the UK but may be overlooked? It is usually found sat on the underside of rocks lying on the ground.
October 27, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Hedgehog Harvestman Nemastomella bacilliferum, Plymouth, Devon, this very distinctive but tiny harvestman is found at several sites around the city. It has not been found anywhere else in the UK but may be overlooked? It is usually found sat on the underside of rocks lying on the ground.
Reposted by Andy Pym
Allochernes wideri confirmed new to Norfolk!
Found by a fellow county recorder; luckily I was present at the time and got to see them and take these photos.
Unfortunately, I now have to update my guide to pseudoscorpions in Norfolk...
#arachnids #pseudoscorpions
Found by a fellow county recorder; luckily I was present at the time and got to see them and take these photos.
Unfortunately, I now have to update my guide to pseudoscorpions in Norfolk...
#arachnids #pseudoscorpions
October 23, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Allochernes wideri confirmed new to Norfolk!
Found by a fellow county recorder; luckily I was present at the time and got to see them and take these photos.
Unfortunately, I now have to update my guide to pseudoscorpions in Norfolk...
#arachnids #pseudoscorpions
Found by a fellow county recorder; luckily I was present at the time and got to see them and take these photos.
Unfortunately, I now have to update my guide to pseudoscorpions in Norfolk...
#arachnids #pseudoscorpions
Reposted by Andy Pym
Little grains of sand on the move, Georissus crenulatus. This tiny beetle covers itself in sand. Decent bit of camouflage. #Coleoptera #Georissidae
September 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Little grains of sand on the move, Georissus crenulatus. This tiny beetle covers itself in sand. Decent bit of camouflage. #Coleoptera #Georissidae
Reposted by Andy Pym
Reposted by Andy Pym
Death's-head Hawk from the Obs moth-traps this morning
October 18, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Death's-head Hawk from the Obs moth-traps this morning
Reposted by Andy Pym
Much digging about in a compost / horse dung / straw heap in All Stretton on Weds produced several fab inverts including many of these 1.9mm long Compost Chernes/Chelifer pseudoscorpions (Pselaphochernes scorpioides) incl two females carrying eggs.
October 18, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Much digging about in a compost / horse dung / straw heap in All Stretton on Weds produced several fab inverts including many of these 1.9mm long Compost Chernes/Chelifer pseudoscorpions (Pselaphochernes scorpioides) incl two females carrying eggs.
Oedemera femoralis on the fence by the moth trap.
October 14, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Oedemera femoralis on the fence by the moth trap.