Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

January 23, 2026 at 6:30 PM

Reposted by Shane

Scarlet caterpillarclub , Cordyceps militaris

@wildlifetoursed.bsky.social

If you liked the #BBCWinterwatch report about the Scarlet caterpillar club , Cordyceps militaris, yesterday , feel free to check out a video we did a year ago about this weird parasitic fungus.
#Cordyceps , #Winterwatch , #Fungus , #Parasite
youtu.be/2c-0QEtQKwI

January 21, 2026 at 2:23 PM

Reposted by Shane

Braconid wasp, Dinocampus coccinellae, emerging from Ladybird

@wildlifetoursed.bsky.social

Another 'traitor' which #Winterwatch didn't mention but is even creepier than the #Cordyceps , is this parasitic wasp that zombiefies ladybirds
#BBCWinterwatch , #Parasite
youtu.be/50dpMIt_Kck

January 21, 2026 at 2:26 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

A closer view of the Ciliophora that was found in a water filled ditch here. Possibly Carchesium due to the colony growing from a single stalk attached to the leaf. #supermacro #micro-organisms #nature #pondlife #winterwatch

January 19, 2026 at 9:57 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

1/2 @wildlifetoursed.bsky.social grabbed a 300ml sample of water twigs and leaf litter from a temporary pool here.
Amazing life forms were found and these really pushed the limits of the @omsystem.bsky.social #TG-7 #biology #freshwater @withpondlife.bsky.social

January 18, 2026 at 3:39 PM

Reposted by Shane

Rockpooling at Wembury Beach , June 25

@wildlifetoursed.bsky.social

Some amazing creatures found at Wembury Beach

#UKWildlife, #Wildlife , #UKNature, #Nature , #MarineLife , #Fishes , #Rockpooling, #Tidepools
youtu.be/qLHPARvceHI?...

January 15, 2026 at 3:34 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

A little session in a temporary pool by the stream early tonight looking at very small things. #freshwater #habitats #cyclops #UKwildlife #nature

A photo of the tiny freshwater crustacean called 'Cyclops'. The pear shaped body is transparent and reveals its white body organs. On the tail end are tow large masses of round white eggs sacs, this indicates that it's a female. At the front and centre is a single eye, in the light of flash it looked red. They have a pair of antennae and 5 pairs of legs.

A photo of a tiny freshwater bivalve. I'm not sure of the species. There were many of these all were around 5mm across. They are typically clam shaped, rounded, smooth with radiating growth lines across its shells. In the photo its sitting on a rotting leaf which is covered in silty detritus.
This one is pale cream in colour. The mouth of this mollusc is partially open and to the left of it, the tailend of of it's foot extends out.

A photo of a tiny pale green freshwater crustacean on brown detritus. It's appearance is that of a shiny split seed. Extending from the lower opened end and numerous clear filaments.

January 12, 2026 at 10:09 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

Yesterday whilst take a chilly mooch through an ancient woodland, we happened across some little green gems lurking in the sparse dry moss loosely covering a historic earth boundary bank, under some big old holly bushes so well shaded.
Late season Parrot #waxcaps in a rather odd location?
#fungi

January 4, 2026 at 5:45 PM

Reposted by Shane

The weirdest mating ritual you have ever seen - The Ash Black Slug

@wildlifetoursed.bsky.social

The weirdest mating ritual you have ever seen - The Ash Black Slug

youtu.be/rRy5tk1HV3o?...

January 3, 2026 at 12:32 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

Cyanosporus subcaesius up behind the woodstore/field shelter here. It really is this blue. #fungi #nature #blue

December 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

A few recent and particulary lovely finds of the #slimemould kind.
#UKnature #Nature #decay

A close up photograph showing a bunch of bright red slime moulds growing from a damp piece of dead wood. Tiny red stems support a large rounded head, these are densely clustered together. They are probably a species of Arcyria.

A photograph of some black slime moulds growing from a piece of damp dead wood. Much more sparsely grouped together, these glistening black fruiting bodies are growing on long black slender stalk. These are possibly in the genus Comatricha.

A very close photograph of some tiny globular slime moulds that i found in the damaged crutch of an apple tree. The stalks are short and grey. The heads are almost kidney shaped. They are white to the eye, but close up they are dark with a paler speckling.

December 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

A little unsure on this species, only young forms of the fungi were present. Am I correct in thinking they are young Orange peels? #Fungi #fungiID #mycology #nature

A photo of four cups shaped fungi. Orange in colour with downy or hairy outside and rims.

November 30, 2025 at 8:26 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

This is not the cheeky cherub it appears to be.
This is a ground beetle species infected by the pathogenic #fungus Entomophthora nebriae.
Found today on the #Quantockhills with @wildlifetoursed.bsky.social
Like the cordycep yesterday, this is not a commonly seen species. #uknature #mycology

What appears to be a fuzzy white coloured face with a funny hat is in fact a fungus infected beetle body. The hat is its wings.

The infected beetle in entirety. The spore releasing fruiting body to the left, wings and dark brown wing cases to the right. The whole thing is on rotting wood and was laying fungus facing down.

November 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

Well hello there you chubby little matchsticks, we didn't expect to see you lot hanging out in beech woodland in Somerset today.

These are I suspect, Drumstick truffle club fungus - Cordyceps capitate. Hidden in the ground will be it's host, a false truffle, #fungi #Truffle #cordyceps #UKnature

A photo showing three brown fungi, growing from a mossy ground. The caps are brown and covered in small dots, the stem is light olive coloured with dark streaks. IMO they resemble lighting matches rather than the drumsticks that they are named after.

A photo showing a single brown fungi, growing from a mossy ground. The cap is brown and covered in small dots, the stem is light olive coloured with dark streaks. IMO the species resembles a lighting matches rather than the drumsticks that they are named after. These fungus are parasitic and need a host species, specifically that of the false truffle - Elaphomyces granulatus

November 29, 2025 at 5:45 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

A touch dry, but tonight we'll be searching the mossy trees for aboreal Opiliones like these 'amorous', Ramosus sp.
If you find these creatures fascinating, consider joining @megabunus.bsky.social et al, in a webinar on the 30th dec and learn more.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/arboreal-h...

November 23, 2025 at 6:16 PM

Shane

@sharkeee.bsky.social

Crop failures due to rapidly changing climate aren’t the only reasons for food shortages, here in #Somerset, I’ve found evidence during a #litterpick, of unfertilised veg.

A photo of litter in a plastic bag, various vegetables, some lube and a black towel.
Some of the veg are suspiciously wrapped..

I’ve tried to describe this image without using the word condom, well that’s failed, as this image shows clearly a carrot and cucumber wearing condoms..

November 23, 2025 at 2:44 PM

Reposted by Shane

Mrs Bob and her legacy , part 4

@wildlifetoursed.bsky.social

Mrs Bob+her legacy,# 4
Mr Bob,the green tagged male,is now the only ear tagged beaver of the family.This+the unique marks on his tail make him easy to identify.When I 1st saw him 12 yrs ago he was already an adult beaver,so I would think that he is about 14-15 yrs old at least.
youtu.be/klDnr1uEWto