Graeme Lyons
@graemelyons.bsky.social
Freelance entomologist specialising in reserve management, conservation grazing, rewilding & farming. 2nd place pan-species listing. Spiders. Bugs. Grew up below poverty line. AuDHD. Writing this https://pelagicpublishing.com/products/pan-species-listing
Pinned
Graeme Lyons
@graemelyons.bsky.social
· Oct 23
My book has got a great endorsement from Chris Packham: "This clever and immensely resourceful book is an overdue gem". There's also a few pages up on the website too! It's up for pre-order here with publication set for January pelagicpublishing.com/products/pan...
1/2 #specieaday no. 683 is Andrena minutuloides. Nationally Scarce A. A 'mini-miner'. In Sussex, commonest on the Downs especially arable margins. Slimmer, shinier and with more widely spaced punctures than the much commoner and more widespread Andrena minutula (with which it often occurs).
December 15, 2025 at 6:44 AM
1/2 #specieaday no. 683 is Andrena minutuloides. Nationally Scarce A. A 'mini-miner'. In Sussex, commonest on the Downs especially arable margins. Slimmer, shinier and with more widely spaced punctures than the much commoner and more widespread Andrena minutula (with which it often occurs).
1/2 #speciesaday no. 682 is Tomoxia bucephala. A Nationally Scarce saproxylic 'tumbling flower beetle'. Superficially like the much commoner Variimorda villosa, but a different pattern and more strongly associated with deadwood. I have recorded it between 2nd June and 10th July. Not annual for me.
December 9, 2025 at 6:49 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 682 is Tomoxia bucephala. A Nationally Scarce saproxylic 'tumbling flower beetle'. Superficially like the much commoner Variimorda villosa, but a different pattern and more strongly associated with deadwood. I have recorded it between 2nd June and 10th July. Not annual for me.
1/2 #speciesaday no. 681 is Sericomyia lappona. A very smart and distinctive large, almost black and white hover with a conker for a scutellum. Restricted to boggy sites, much commoner in the north and west but also New Forest. Not common in Sussex. My records are between 30th May and 20th June.
December 8, 2025 at 11:08 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 681 is Sericomyia lappona. A very smart and distinctive large, almost black and white hover with a conker for a scutellum. Restricted to boggy sites, much commoner in the north and west but also New Forest. Not common in Sussex. My records are between 30th May and 20th June.
1/2 #speaciesaday no. 680 is Stictoleptura scutellata. A large, solid, all-black (with an orange scutellum) Nationally Scarce longhorn beetle. Commonest in Beech woodland, seems to be fairly common around the New Forest but it's very scarce in Sussex. All my records are between 30th May & 11th July.
December 7, 2025 at 1:28 PM
1/2 #speaciesaday no. 680 is Stictoleptura scutellata. A large, solid, all-black (with an orange scutellum) Nationally Scarce longhorn beetle. Commonest in Beech woodland, seems to be fairly common around the New Forest but it's very scarce in Sussex. All my records are between 30th May & 11th July.
1/2 #speciesaday no. 679 is Euophrys frontalis. A very common jumper in open habitats. Identifiable throughout much of the year. Adult males have magic wands for front legs and red-ringed eyes (think Paul Daniels with hay fever). Striking white on the top of the palps too! I just love salticids!
December 6, 2025 at 7:42 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 679 is Euophrys frontalis. A very common jumper in open habitats. Identifiable throughout much of the year. Adult males have magic wands for front legs and red-ringed eyes (think Paul Daniels with hay fever). Striking white on the top of the palps too! I just love salticids!
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.
I am going to try and see 6000 species over 2026! Exciting. Full story in the blog post below.
6000 species in 2026
In 2026, I am going to use our fantastic website to 'pan-species year list', with the aim of reaching 6,000 species over the course of 2026...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:06 AM
I am going to try and see 6000 species over 2026! Exciting. Full story in the blog post below.
Anyone digitise sites in QGIS? I have been digitising large complex sites for over 20 years but recently I have found QGIS a nightmare. I drew the yellow polygon (the geometry is good/seamless). I go to merge it with the existing polygon and this happens. Please help! Driving me nuts #qgis
December 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Anyone digitise sites in QGIS? I have been digitising large complex sites for over 20 years but recently I have found QGIS a nightmare. I drew the yellow polygon (the geometry is good/seamless). I go to merge it with the existing polygon and this happens. Please help! Driving me nuts #qgis
1/2 #speciesaday no. 676 is Megalinus glabratus. A large, shiny, local rove beetle with red eltyra and a big head that I see in open habitats, usually on the Downs. I have two records in June but most of my records come from August and September.
November 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 676 is Megalinus glabratus. A large, shiny, local rove beetle with red eltyra and a big head that I see in open habitats, usually on the Downs. I have two records in June but most of my records come from August and September.
1/2 #speciesaday no. 676 is Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium). Vulnerable as of the latest status review! It's certainly not in every parcel of chalk grassland but is often really common where it occurs and there are loads of inverts that use it (as well as oddly, mycorrhizal fungi).
November 23, 2025 at 9:59 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 676 is Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium). Vulnerable as of the latest status review! It's certainly not in every parcel of chalk grassland but is often really common where it occurs and there are loads of inverts that use it (as well as oddly, mycorrhizal fungi).
#speciesaday no. 675 is Silky Rosegill (Volvariella bombycina). I have only seen this once at Ebernoe Common in 2016, growing out of a hole in a Beech tree. It really reminded me of some sort of coconut dessert! www.panspecieslisting.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
#speciesaday no. 675 is Silky Rosegill (Volvariella bombycina). I have only seen this once at Ebernoe Common in 2016, growing out of a hole in a Beech tree. It really reminded me of some sort of coconut dessert! www.panspecieslisting.com
Apologies for the delay in getting through iRecord verification - something had to give with the book for the last few years. Now that's out of the way I am catching up with the backlog. 300 records verified this morning and 100 of my own records entered from the Spurn PSL get together.
November 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Apologies for the delay in getting through iRecord verification - something had to give with the book for the last few years. Now that's out of the way I am catching up with the backlog. 300 records verified this morning and 100 of my own records entered from the Spurn PSL get together.
#speciesaday no. 674 is Montagu's Sea Snail (Liparis montagui). Not a snail, but a fish! Considering it is not meant to be that scarce, I only have one record - from 2013 at St Mary's Lighthouse in the north east. I'm sure I've seen it once more though, but not in the last decade. Cut little thing!
November 20, 2025 at 8:34 AM
#speciesaday no. 674 is Montagu's Sea Snail (Liparis montagui). Not a snail, but a fish! Considering it is not meant to be that scarce, I only have one record - from 2013 at St Mary's Lighthouse in the north east. I'm sure I've seen it once more though, but not in the last decade. Cut little thing!
1/2 #speciesaday no. 673 is Marsh Clubmoss (Lycopodiella inundata) is a Nationally Scarce & Section 41 (although it has come off the Red List in the 2025 status review, this is stil a plant that's struggling in places). Found only on damp, black, peaty mud (M16), in places where you'll see sundews.
November 19, 2025 at 6:55 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 673 is Marsh Clubmoss (Lycopodiella inundata) is a Nationally Scarce & Section 41 (although it has come off the Red List in the 2025 status review, this is stil a plant that's struggling in places). Found only on damp, black, peaty mud (M16), in places where you'll see sundews.
1/2 #speciesaday no. 672 is the obscene Parasitic Bolete (Pseudoboletus parasiticus) growing from its host Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum). Around 10 years ago I was seeing this all around the West Weald. I guess it will come round again.
November 18, 2025 at 6:55 PM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 672 is the obscene Parasitic Bolete (Pseudoboletus parasiticus) growing from its host Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum). Around 10 years ago I was seeing this all around the West Weald. I guess it will come round again.
1/2 #speceisaday no. 671 is Abax parallelepipedus. A large & common carabid typically found under logs in woodland. I just sent off all my 8,200 carabid records to Mark Telfer for him to include in the status review he is doing. Surprised there are not more (as I make 10,000 spider records A YEAR).
November 17, 2025 at 10:43 AM
1/2 #speceisaday no. 671 is Abax parallelepipedus. A large & common carabid typically found under logs in woodland. I just sent off all my 8,200 carabid records to Mark Telfer for him to include in the status review he is doing. Surprised there are not more (as I make 10,000 spider records A YEAR).
A mind-blowingly cool few days rock-pooling down at Falmouth last weekend concluded with a session at Helford Passage. We found a cockle new to Cornwall! Plus a load of other cool stuff. Full story in my blog...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
November 15, 2025 at 3:30 PM
A mind-blowingly cool few days rock-pooling down at Falmouth last weekend concluded with a session at Helford Passage. We found a cockle new to Cornwall! Plus a load of other cool stuff. Full story in my blog...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
Reposted by Graeme Lyons
This Male Walckenaeria acuminata may be common but its a fantastic looking spider, since getting into Linys this Genus is so fasinating. And its great that the male and female of this species can be Identified with a hand Lens.
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@britishspiders.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 3:56 PM
This Male Walckenaeria acuminata may be common but its a fantastic looking spider, since getting into Linys this Genus is so fasinating. And its great that the male and female of this species can be Identified with a hand Lens.
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@britishspiders.bsky.social
1/2 #speciesaday no. 671 is Bembidion properans. A common and ubiquitous carabid of open spaces. I have 3.1 times as many records of the closely related B. lampros as I do this species (on the NBN there are 3.5 times as many - fairly comparable). Mostly recorded by suction sampler. Year-round.
November 13, 2025 at 5:32 PM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 671 is Bembidion properans. A common and ubiquitous carabid of open spaces. I have 3.1 times as many records of the closely related B. lampros as I do this species (on the NBN there are 3.5 times as many - fairly comparable). Mostly recorded by suction sampler. Year-round.
Reposted by Graeme Lyons
From an ancient beech woodland in West Sussex, its a pig to get to with all the gear, and to date ive never seen much there. But thats has changed samples from the 9th November have produced Centromerus cavernarum!!One i had hoped for there.
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@graemelyons.bsky.social
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@graemelyons.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 3:58 PM
From an ancient beech woodland in West Sussex, its a pig to get to with all the gear, and to date ive never seen much there. But thats has changed samples from the 9th November have produced Centromerus cavernarum!!One i had hoped for there.
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@graemelyons.bsky.social
@britishspiders.bsky.social
@graemelyons.bsky.social
1/2 #speciesaday no. 670 is Silometopus reussi. A small money spider associated with dung & grass heaps and old hay. Fairly frequent where it occurs but I have never seen it away from farms. I have records in Mar, Apr & Sep. This was from a farm to the east of Brighton in Sep.
November 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM
1/2 #speciesaday no. 670 is Silometopus reussi. A small money spider associated with dung & grass heaps and old hay. Fairly frequent where it occurs but I have never seen it away from farms. I have records in Mar, Apr & Sep. This was from a farm to the east of Brighton in Sep.
#speciesaday no. 669 is Trapania tartanella. Another recent colonist and I found this at Seaview on the I of W the day after finding Aulonia. It's only the 2nd record for the island. I knew it was different straight away as the yellow patches grade into orange at the tips - like little flames!
November 11, 2025 at 8:30 AM
#speciesaday no. 669 is Trapania tartanella. Another recent colonist and I found this at Seaview on the I of W the day after finding Aulonia. It's only the 2nd record for the island. I knew it was different straight away as the yellow patches grade into orange at the tips - like little flames!
My friend Penny Green has started a new podcast over the last few months, I recorded this with her back in July and it's just been released. I was surveying the arable margins for invertebrates on the Wiston Estate. It's a great listen.
Marginal Gains - The Wandering Ecologist Podcast
Episode 5 takes us on top of the South Downs at the Wiston Estate where I join awesome entomologist, Graeme Lyons, on some invertebrate surveys. We’re looking at the benefits of having wildflower stri...
thewanderingecologistpodcast.buzzsprout.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM
My friend Penny Green has started a new podcast over the last few months, I recorded this with her back in July and it's just been released. I was surveying the arable margins for invertebrates on the Wiston Estate. It's a great listen.
#speciesaday no. 668 is the Orange-clubbed Sea Slug (Limacia clavigera). This fairly common nudi was one I had not connected with until Thursday. I saw 2 at Silver Steps and at least another 2 at Gylly Reef (both Falmouth). This one feeds on bryozoans. I love the white ones with yellow accessories!
November 10, 2025 at 6:48 AM
#speciesaday no. 668 is the Orange-clubbed Sea Slug (Limacia clavigera). This fairly common nudi was one I had not connected with until Thursday. I saw 2 at Silver Steps and at least another 2 at Gylly Reef (both Falmouth). This one feeds on bryozoans. I love the white ones with yellow accessories!
1/2 #speciedsaday no. 667 is Hair-curler Sea Slug (Spurilla neapolitana). Found only new to the UK just over two months ago, this thing is spreading and FAST. I had it three days in a row in Cornwall (four individuals). It is quite an outstanding looking nudi, big too. There is a lot going on here.
November 9, 2025 at 11:34 AM
1/2 #speciedsaday no. 667 is Hair-curler Sea Slug (Spurilla neapolitana). Found only new to the UK just over two months ago, this thing is spreading and FAST. I had it three days in a row in Cornwall (four individuals). It is quite an outstanding looking nudi, big too. There is a lot going on here.