Ian Andrews
@suillia.bsky.social
Flies/sawflies mostly; mostly from Yorkshire, UK.
Run the UK Heleomyzid Recording Scheme...
https://dipterists.org.uk/heleomyzid-scheme/home
...and Yorkshire County Recorder for Sawflies
https://www.ynu.org.uk/recording-sections/sections/insects/sawflies
Run the UK Heleomyzid Recording Scheme...
https://dipterists.org.uk/heleomyzid-scheme/home
...and Yorkshire County Recorder for Sawflies
https://www.ynu.org.uk/recording-sections/sections/insects/sawflies
Reposted by Ian Andrews
Roger Morris and I are picking out Muscidae from the British collection ahead of the upcoming @dipteristsforum.bsky.social field course for a photo shoot!
Trying to get those awkward features imaged to aid the keys and (hopefully) identifications
Trying to get those awkward features imaged to aid the keys and (hopefully) identifications
February 17, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Roger Morris and I are picking out Muscidae from the British collection ahead of the upcoming @dipteristsforum.bsky.social field course for a photo shoot!
Trying to get those awkward features imaged to aid the keys and (hopefully) identifications
Trying to get those awkward features imaged to aid the keys and (hopefully) identifications
Reposted by Ian Andrews
From Chris Borkent: Fellow Dipterists/systematists/ecologists: Agri./Agri-Food Canada plans to eliminate the Diptera Unit at the Canadian National Collection of Insects. Dr. Art Borkent has prepared an open letter to support keeping the unit open. To sign, please read & follow the instructions here.
February 11, 2026 at 4:53 PM
From Chris Borkent: Fellow Dipterists/systematists/ecologists: Agri./Agri-Food Canada plans to eliminate the Diptera Unit at the Canadian National Collection of Insects. Dr. Art Borkent has prepared an open letter to support keeping the unit open. To sign, please read & follow the instructions here.
Calliphora vicina, the Peanut Fly, making use of the feeders at @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Makes a change from the usual Paridae. 😄 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
February 16, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Calliphora vicina, the Peanut Fly, making use of the feeders at @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Makes a change from the usual Paridae. 😄 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
Blimey....sun! 🌞And sun = insects. Dermestes murinus, Sitona lineatus, Oulema sp. and Acericerus ribauti at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Going to be dull and sleety from tomorrow, but today was enjoyable. 🙂@ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife
February 14, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Blimey....sun! 🌞And sun = insects. Dermestes murinus, Sitona lineatus, Oulema sp. and Acericerus ribauti at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. Going to be dull and sleety from tomorrow, but today was enjoyable. 🙂@ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife
Reposted by Ian Andrews
Save the date! Come & meet the Dipterist Forum gang at the Staffs Invert Science Fair! Loads for kids dipterists.org.uk/events/staff... @royentsoc.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @davebriceflies.bsky.social @lancefly.bsky.social @suillia.bsky.social @nbntrust.bsky.social @britentsoc.bsky.social
February 3, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Save the date! Come & meet the Dipterist Forum gang at the Staffs Invert Science Fair! Loads for kids dipterists.org.uk/events/staff... @royentsoc.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @davebriceflies.bsky.social @lancefly.bsky.social @suillia.bsky.social @nbntrust.bsky.social @britentsoc.bsky.social
February arrives and the Gadwall are getting frisky...
February 1, 2026 at 5:29 PM
February arrives and the Gadwall are getting frisky...
Little Egret H3 still at Kilnwick Percy this morning...has been a regular by the lakes the last few weeks. A local bird from the @ldvnnr.bsky.social. @ynuorg.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
February 1, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Little Egret H3 still at Kilnwick Percy this morning...has been a regular by the lakes the last few weeks. A local bird from the @ldvnnr.bsky.social. @ynuorg.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
Scoured all the sunlit barriers, fence posts, benches and vegetation at #BemptonCliffs for Diptera on Monday, but not a winter-active fly to be seen, not even a Calliphora. And no flat-flies on this Kestrel either! Hard times for dipterists... 😄 @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Scoured all the sunlit barriers, fence posts, benches and vegetation at #BemptonCliffs for Diptera on Monday, but not a winter-active fly to be seen, not even a Calliphora. And no flat-flies on this Kestrel either! Hard times for dipterists... 😄 @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
My second invertebrate record of the new year at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this am. Once very scarce, Corizus hyoscyami is now a regular find in East Yorkshire throughout the year. @ynuorg.bsky.social
January 1, 2026 at 4:15 PM
My second invertebrate record of the new year at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this am. Once very scarce, Corizus hyoscyami is now a regular find in East Yorkshire throughout the year. @ynuorg.bsky.social
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
Ravens very active and vocal up on the Yorkshire Wolds this morning...surprised to see so many, but it's a while since I've been up there in winter. @yorkbirding.bsky.social
December 14, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Ravens very active and vocal up on the Yorkshire Wolds this morning...surprised to see so many, but it's a while since I've been up there in winter. @yorkbirding.bsky.social
A flightless female moth...Pale Brindled Beauty...at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this morning. Only 4 degrees, but bright and plenty of insects around. @ynuorg.bsky.social #moths
December 13, 2025 at 7:52 PM
A flightless female moth...Pale Brindled Beauty...at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this morning. Only 4 degrees, but bright and plenty of insects around. @ynuorg.bsky.social #moths
Thinking this is Diaea dorsata, which I am sweeping/seeing repeatedly at Allerthorpe Common in East Yorkshire at the moment, so it must be well-established up here now? @ynuorg.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @ecology-digest.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social
December 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Thinking this is Diaea dorsata, which I am sweeping/seeing repeatedly at Allerthorpe Common in East Yorkshire at the moment, so it must be well-established up here now? @ynuorg.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @ecology-digest.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social
A dry, warm (10 degrees) day brought out quite a variety of invertebrates at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this morning. Just a few here...Pisaura, Curculio, Brachypera and Notostira perhaps. @ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife
December 6, 2025 at 8:00 PM
A dry, warm (10 degrees) day brought out quite a variety of invertebrates at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve this morning. Just a few here...Pisaura, Curculio, Brachypera and Notostira perhaps. @ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife
What a fantastic record!
A dipterist's dipteron, the elusive Borboropsis puberula. The only member of the family in the UK. Restricted to the Scottish Highlands. This one from Ben Lawers is probably the 7th UK record.
#Diptera #Entomology @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
#Diptera #Entomology @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 7:51 PM
What a fantastic record!
Reposted by Ian Andrews
Can't make the @dipteristsforum.bsky.social Dipterist Day 2025 in Cambridge this Saturday 15th November - fear not! Sign up through the link in the page below and we'll send you the recordings. The wonders of Modern technology...
dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte...
Please share the love ❤️
dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte...
Please share the love ❤️
November 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Can't make the @dipteristsforum.bsky.social Dipterist Day 2025 in Cambridge this Saturday 15th November - fear not! Sign up through the link in the page below and we'll send you the recordings. The wonders of Modern technology...
dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte...
Please share the love ❤️
dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte...
Please share the love ❤️
Lots of Earwig activity at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today, with individuals burrowing into the sandy turf, leaving just the formidable pincers exposed. Common enough, but actually rather extraordinary things. @ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife
November 9, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Lots of Earwig activity at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today, with individuals burrowing into the sandy turf, leaving just the formidable pincers exposed. Common enough, but actually rather extraordinary things. @ynuorg.bsky.social #ukwildlife
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
Not too many birds at Bempton Cliffs this morning, so had a look at flies on the fence atop the cliffs. Nice variety, with muscids, calliphorids, anisopodids, heleomyzids, anthomyiids, coelopids and more. IDs on the photos. @rspbengland.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Not too many birds at Bempton Cliffs this morning, so had a look at flies on the fence atop the cliffs. Nice variety, with muscids, calliphorids, anisopodids, heleomyzids, anthomyiids, coelopids and more. IDs on the photos. @rspbengland.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social
As good as it gets...
To see these beeflies, Australoechus sp, flying around in the Fynbos, SA, has to be 1 of my life’s highlights
Many were buzzing around Micrdon capitatus, the heady catstailbush - a rare endemic to this region. Rare because of habitat loss (land clearance) & invasive species.
Brilliant #beeflies
Many were buzzing around Micrdon capitatus, the heady catstailbush - a rare endemic to this region. Rare because of habitat loss (land clearance) & invasive species.
Brilliant #beeflies
October 28, 2025 at 7:24 PM
As good as it gets...
Gymnomus caesius (Heleomyzidae)...stunning orange and grey, spiny-winged fly of woodland, with males often holding territory on logs. All records gratefully received on iRecord. 🙂 Allerthorpe Common, East Yorkshire today. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #heleomyzidae dipterists.org.uk/heleomyzid-s...
October 28, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Gymnomus caesius (Heleomyzidae)...stunning orange and grey, spiny-winged fly of woodland, with males often holding territory on logs. All records gratefully received on iRecord. 🙂 Allerthorpe Common, East Yorkshire today. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #heleomyzidae dipterists.org.uk/heleomyzid-s...
Thaumatomyia notata, the Yellow Swarming Fly doing exactly that at Allerthorpe Common in East Yorkshire....10,000s of them on pine trunks, and particularly interested in this Hairy Shieldbug. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
October 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Thaumatomyia notata, the Yellow Swarming Fly doing exactly that at Allerthorpe Common in East Yorkshire....10,000s of them on pine trunks, and particularly interested in this Hairy Shieldbug. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Reposted by Ian Andrews
Gonatherus planiceps female #Scathophagidae. A uncommonly collected, spring-flying, species of upland flushes and other wet habitats in the mountains. This one from Beinn Ghlas in the Ben Lawers NNR this May.
#Diptera #Entomology @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
#Diptera #Entomology @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
October 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Gonatherus planiceps female #Scathophagidae. A uncommonly collected, spring-flying, species of upland flushes and other wet habitats in the mountains. This one from Beinn Ghlas in the Ben Lawers NNR this May.
#Diptera #Entomology @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
#Diptera #Entomology @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
A few fungi-loving autumn flies from three different families at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve yesterday. Names on ALT. @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
October 19, 2025 at 8:38 AM
A few fungi-loving autumn flies from three different families at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve yesterday. Names on ALT. @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Finally some fungi appearing locally in East Yorkshire, and with those come the fungus-breeding, spiny-winged heleomyzid flies, like this gorgeous Suillia notata at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve. #heleomyzidae @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
September 28, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Finally some fungi appearing locally in East Yorkshire, and with those come the fungus-breeding, spiny-winged heleomyzid flies, like this gorgeous Suillia notata at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve. #heleomyzidae @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social