Ian Beavis
@ianbeavis.bsky.social
Research Curator at the Amelia, Tunbridge Wells. Entomologist. Natural historian. Local historian. Ecology & heritage of Scilly & the Channel Islands
I was not expecting to see a Clouded Yellow in Calverley Grounds today! This migratory species is most commonly seen on the coast and rarely appears as far inland as Tunbridge Wells
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I was not expecting to see a Clouded Yellow in Calverley Grounds today! This migratory species is most commonly seen on the coast and rarely appears as far inland as Tunbridge Wells
Females of the mining bees Lasioglossum morio (left, one of the bronze-green metallic species) & L lativentre in Calverley Grounds today. Lasioglossum females hibernate as adults, so may stay active very late in a warm autumn.
November 12, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Females of the mining bees Lasioglossum morio (left, one of the bronze-green metallic species) & L lativentre in Calverley Grounds today. Lasioglossum females hibernate as adults, so may stay active very late in a warm autumn.
Reposted by Ian Beavis
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
Reposted by Ian Beavis
I've waited a lifetime to find Striated Bird's Nest fungus, and this week I've seen it twice! Also a magnificent colony of Coral Slime-mould, a troop of another slime-mould Physarum sp. with a lime-encrusted peridium and a heap of Witch's Butter. At @wildlifebcn.org Old Sulehay NR
📷🍄
📷🍄
November 10, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I've waited a lifetime to find Striated Bird's Nest fungus, and this week I've seen it twice! Also a magnificent colony of Coral Slime-mould, a troop of another slime-mould Physarum sp. with a lime-encrusted peridium and a heap of Witch's Butter. At @wildlifebcn.org Old Sulehay NR
📷🍄
📷🍄
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Great to see the paper by @ecology-digest.bsky.social and I on the new British woodlouse (Chaetophiloscia elongata) now available. Check it (and other great material) out at bmig.org.uk/view/resourc...
November 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Great to see the paper by @ecology-digest.bsky.social and I on the new British woodlouse (Chaetophiloscia elongata) now available. Check it (and other great material) out at bmig.org.uk/view/resourc...
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Very unexpected little visitor to the ivy on Saturday morning - and seemed much larger than usual! The photobombing greenbottle is trying on butterfly-wings. A third generation this late in the year is apparently unusual, but could be a sign of our changing times.
November 10, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Very unexpected little visitor to the ivy on Saturday morning - and seemed much larger than usual! The photobombing greenbottle is trying on butterfly-wings. A third generation this late in the year is apparently unusual, but could be a sign of our changing times.
Hedge Mustard on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Hedge Mustard on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
Second growth of Cow Parsley on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Second growth of Cow Parsley on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
Atlas Poppy long naturalised on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Atlas Poppy long naturalised on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
The hoverfly Syrphus vitripennis on Tunbridge Wells Common today
November 9, 2025 at 8:18 PM
The hoverfly Syrphus vitripennis on Tunbridge Wells Common today
A male Locust Blowfly on Tunbridge Wells Common today
November 9, 2025 at 8:17 PM
A male Locust Blowfly on Tunbridge Wells Common today
Female of the rare mining bee Andrena gravida still active in Calverley Grounds today
November 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Female of the rare mining bee Andrena gravida still active in Calverley Grounds today
The mining bee Lasioglossum lativentre - found 2 of these in Calverley Grounds yesterday
November 9, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The mining bee Lasioglossum lativentre - found 2 of these in Calverley Grounds yesterday
More of Frederick Russell's beautiful illustrations from his Medusae of the British Isles (1953)
November 8, 2025 at 7:40 PM
More of Frederick Russell's beautiful illustrations from his Medusae of the British Isles (1953)
These pictures remind me of the delicately coloured illustrations in Frederick Russell's Medusae of the British Isles (1953)
November 8, 2025 at 7:37 PM
These pictures remind me of the delicately coloured illustrations in Frederick Russell's Medusae of the British Isles (1953)
Several Eristalis pertinax droneflies feeding at Fatsia in Calverley Grounds today. Increasingly late-flying in recent mild late autumn / early winter periods, along with E tenax that's always been winter-active.
November 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Several Eristalis pertinax droneflies feeding at Fatsia in Calverley Grounds today. Increasingly late-flying in recent mild late autumn / early winter periods, along with E tenax that's always been winter-active.
Plenty of bees & hoverflies visiting sunlit Fatsia in Calverley Grounds today. Note the Buff-tailed Bumblebee queen at far left.
November 8, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Plenty of bees & hoverflies visiting sunlit Fatsia in Calverley Grounds today. Note the Buff-tailed Bumblebee queen at far left.
Fatsia is a late-flowering member of the ivy family & as ivy bloom starts going over late-flying bees, hoverflies, wasps etc will switch. In Tunbridge Wells, look out for the plants in Calverley Grounds
Did u know? On milder days, you'll still see pollinators on the wing, so it's a fab idea to have something in flower all year-round. These Fatsia japonica are in full bloom now (not indigenous, but hey-ho) and my wonderful wasps are taking full advantage of their lovely nectar rich blooms. 🌱🌿🇬🇧🌱🌍🪲
November 7, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Fatsia is a late-flowering member of the ivy family & as ivy bloom starts going over late-flying bees, hoverflies, wasps etc will switch. In Tunbridge Wells, look out for the plants in Calverley Grounds
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Always sweet when December Moth finally appears in the garden trap, just the one amongst x19spp. over the last couple of nights which included a NFG (but moribund) Ypsolopha ustella. Out this morning for a Dusky Warbler and there were Aspen leaves everywhere (see alt text). #teammoth #vc55moths
November 7, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Always sweet when December Moth finally appears in the garden trap, just the one amongst x19spp. over the last couple of nights which included a NFG (but moribund) Ypsolopha ustella. Out this morning for a Dusky Warbler and there were Aspen leaves everywhere (see alt text). #teammoth #vc55moths
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Wow, we found an even bigger and brighter one!!! analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/how-...
November 7, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Wow, we found an even bigger and brighter one!!! analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/how-...
Reposted by Ian Beavis
#FungiFriday Delighted to see the Pink Ballerinas (Porpolomopsis calyptryformis) are dancing once again in N. Lancs after an absence of two years 🩷.
November 7, 2025 at 5:25 PM
#FungiFriday Delighted to see the Pink Ballerinas (Porpolomopsis calyptryformis) are dancing once again in N. Lancs after an absence of two years 🩷.
A portrait of Aulonia albimana, the spider featured in that last repost, from Michael Roberts' Spiders of Great Britain & Ireland (1985)
November 6, 2025 at 10:45 PM
A portrait of Aulonia albimana, the spider featured in that last repost, from Michael Roberts' Spiders of Great Britain & Ireland (1985)
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Congrats to @graemelyons.bsky.social and Mark Telfer for an amazing discovery 👏👏🕷️ www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘White-knuckled wolf spider’ thought lost is rediscovered on Isle of Wight
Conservationists hail ‘remarkable’ rediscovery after 40 years, at nature reserve only accessible by boat
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Congrats to @graemelyons.bsky.social and Mark Telfer for an amazing discovery 👏👏🕷️ www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Ian Beavis
A beautifully marked Dinophalus sp. hanging out by the moth trap this morning.
This is likely the undescribed species currently known as Dinophalus sp. ANIC12
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidopteta #inaturalist
This is likely the undescribed species currently known as Dinophalus sp. ANIC12
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidopteta #inaturalist
October 18, 2025 at 11:24 PM
A beautifully marked Dinophalus sp. hanging out by the moth trap this morning.
This is likely the undescribed species currently known as Dinophalus sp. ANIC12
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidopteta #inaturalist
This is likely the undescribed species currently known as Dinophalus sp. ANIC12
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidopteta #inaturalist
Reposted by Ian Beavis
Warm end to the week with a lovely 25°C on Friday brought more activity at the garden black light, including the first Green Blotched moth (Cosmodes elegans) of the year
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #Leptember
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #Leptember
September 12, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Warm end to the week with a lovely 25°C on Friday brought more activity at the garden black light, including the first Green Blotched moth (Cosmodes elegans) of the year
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #Leptember
#teammoth #ausinverts #wildoz #Lepidoptera #Leptember