Ian Beavis
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ianbeavis.bsky.social
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
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
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
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
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
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
Hedge Mustard on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Second growth of Cow Parsley on Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Atlas Poppy long naturalised on the edge of Tunbridge Wells Common #wildflowerhour
November 9, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The hoverfly Syrphus vitripennis on Tunbridge Wells Common today
November 9, 2025 at 8:18 PM
A male Locust Blowfly on Tunbridge Wells Common today
November 9, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Female of the rare mining bee Andrena gravida still active in Calverley Grounds today
November 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
The mining bee Lasioglossum lativentre - found 2 of these in Calverley Grounds yesterday
November 9, 2025 at 8:15 PM
More of Frederick Russell's beautiful illustrations from his Medusae of the British Isles (1953)
November 8, 2025 at 7:40 PM
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
October 18, 2025 at 11:24 PM
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
September 12, 2025 at 9:14 PM