Andrew Jewels
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andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Andrew Jewels
@andrew-jewels.bsky.social
320 followers 160 following 300 posts
Inconspicuous ladybirds are my main interest but I enjoy finding and identifying all wildlife, especially insects and birds. All records submitted to iRecord. Check out my online guide to identifying inconspicuous ladybirds at https://andrewjewels.com
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Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
Another good mooch this afternoon in the Shrewsbury area, finding Rhyzobius chrysomeloides (Arboreal LB), Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly LB), a nicely marked Adalia decempunctata (10-spot LB) and Hippodamia variegata (Adonis LB), amongst others #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
December 19, 2025 at 9:05 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
A Mottled Umber (Erannis defoliaria) sitting under a porch light in Upshire, Essex today. One of the most attractive of the winter moth species. #EssexWildlife #UKMoths
A Mottled Umber, a orangey yellow moth with brown mottling sitting on a window sill.
December 19, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40orthops.bsky.social
One Pine & three Larch Ladybirds, tapped from a fallen fir tree branch in Colstey Wood, Shrops, last Wednesday. Didn't find a single one in the actual trees!
Three Larch Ladybirds - fawnish-brown beetles with darker streaks, plus one Pine Ladybird - black and shiny with two pairs of red markings on the wing-cases.
December 16, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
A pleasant December day in SE Shropshire, finding Hippodamia variegata (Adonis Ladybird), Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly Ladybird), Nephus redtenbacheri (Red-patched Ladybird) and Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked Ladybird), amongst others! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
December 14, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
ajcann.bsky.social
So many Bristly Ladybirds, Rhyzobius lophanthae, overwintering in evergreens in #VC55 this year. Seems to have been an explosion in numbers - weather?
#Beetles #Coleoptera
Bristly Ladybirds, Rhyzobius lophanthae
December 13, 2025 at 10:13 AM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Tapped a Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) out of ivy at Powderham Church, Devon on Monday. Still green, not yet developed brown winter colouring. #DevonWildlife #UKBugs
Green Shieldbug: green shield shaped insect with orange legs on a pale canvas background.
December 13, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
A nice mooch this pm in Telford area, finding Myrrha 18-guttata (18-spot LB), Anatis ocellata (Eyed LB) with Harmonia 4-punctata (Cream-streaked LB) & Rhyzobius chrysomeloides (Arboreal LB), and 49 wks after my 1st, got my 2nd Rhyzobius forestieri (Forestier’s LB) #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
December 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Tapped an Arboreal Ladybird (Rhyzobius chrysomeloides) out of a pine tree in Starcross, South Devon yesterday. A new 10km square record. Probably under recorded in the area. #DevonWildlife #UKLadybirds
Arboreal Ladybird, a small brown beetle on a pale canvas background. Arboreal Ladybird Arboreal Ladybird Pine tree growing on grassy verge beside road.
December 12, 2025 at 7:14 AM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Visiting family in Devon so paid a visit to the Exe Estuary today and had great views of the wintering Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) at Turf Lock. A superb bird. #DevonBirds #UKWildlife
Lesser Crested Tern, with orange bill and black crest on back of head, sitting on yellow buoy, with grey sea background.
December 11, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
sconzani.bsky.social
Lots of goodies had been washed/blown out of the trees on to the local park railings today, including these two. I think pics 3 & 4 might be a Cream-streaked ladybird but I'm not sure about the ladybird in pics 1 & 2 - maybe a Rhyzobius species? Maria @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social can you help please?
December 7, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
Three of four Scymnus haemorrhoidalis (Red-rumped Ladybird) seen in NW Shropshire today! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
November 30, 2025 at 6:10 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Tapped a Conifer Ladybird (Scymnus suturalis) out of a pine tree in Upshire, Essex today. #UKLadybirds #EssexWildlife
A tiny black and brown Conifer Ladybird on a white canvas background.
November 30, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40orthops.bsky.social
A Red-rumped Ladybird, Scymnus haemorrhoidalis, vacuumed from Polytrichum moss whilst looking for Snow Fleas last Weds. One of the commoner micro ladybirds but it seems to vanish at some points in the year & then reappear in winter, when we start to find it again.
A small (c.2.5mm) black beetle with a fine covering of short, swirling hairs. Its head, 'collar' and 'tail' are an orange-red colour. Another shot of the same ladybird, better showing its red/orange 'tail' (head to the left, tail to the right).
November 29, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
mammalmark.bsky.social
🇳🇿 New Zealand- Day 21 was just a travelling day so just a few photos of other stuff some other insects 2/3
Shieldbug sp Steel blue ladybird Ladybird sp Weta sp
November 29, 2025 at 10:54 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Found three Green Shieldbugs (Palomena prasina) inside a garden wheelie bin today, waiting patiently to be let out. Relocated to a dense patch of ivy. In Upshire, Essex. Two still green, the other in brown winter mode. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs
Three Green Shieldbugs on the inside of a garden wheelie bin with lattice fence in background.
November 27, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
After a two year hiatus, @vc40orthops.bsky.social and I were really pleased to finally find another Willow Ladybird (Scymnus limbatus) using our refugia yesterday. 🥰 New for my #LadybirdYearList #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
November 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40orthops.bsky.social
It has taken over two years for @vc40ladybirds.bsky.social & I to attract another Willow Ladybird (Scymnus limbatus), an extremely small & elusive species, to the refugia we designed in an attempt to learn more about them. It has been a long wait but we found one yesterday, plus an Anthocorid bug
Willow Ladybird, a small (2mm or less) black beetle with a large, red patch on each wing-case, sitting back to back with a Hemipteran bug which is significantly bigger.
November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
A chilly but gloriously sunny mooch this pm in Shropshire, finding lots of Nephus quadrimaculatus (Ivy LB) with a Harley, Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked LB), Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly LB) and most pleased to find Coccidula scutellata (Spotted Marsh LB) #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
Four small black hairy ladybirds with four red spots on the wing cases, with a large red-orange ladybird with black spots, on a fabric tray A small hairy black ladybird with orange-red face, edges of pronotum, and on large parts of the wing cases, on a fabric tray A small black hairy ladybird with reddish brown pronotum on a fabric tray A small oblong orange ladybird with dark markings on the wing cases, on a buff reed leaf
November 21, 2025 at 6:22 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Unsurprisingly I failed to find any Striped Shieldbugs (Graphosoma italicum) at their favoured location at Ninefields in Waltham Abbey today. The season seems to have finally ended. #EssexWildlife #UKBugs
Hogweed patch on grassy bank by stream, with trees in background, habitat of Striped Shieldbug.
November 19, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
A rather nippy mooch yesterday in SE Shropshire, finding Nephus quadrimaculatus (Ivy Ladybird), Rhyzobius lophanthae (Bristly Ladybird), lots of R. chrysomeloides (Arboreal Ladybird) and Scymnus interruptus (Red-flanked Ladybird), amongst others. #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
A small black hairy ladybird with 4 red markings on the wing cases, on a fabric tray. A small black hairy ladybird with dark brown-red pronotom and head, and additional stout hairs on the wing cases, on a fabric tray. Five small brown hairy ladybirds with a variety of dark markings, on a fabric tray. A small black hairy ladybird with red triangle patches on either side, on a green leaf.
November 17, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
vc40ladybirds.bsky.social
A lovely Nephus redtenbacheri (Red-patched Ladybird) from lunchtime today. Been a while since I last saw one! #VC40Ladybirds #MicroLadybird
A small hairy black ladybird with orange-red lozenge shaped marks on the wing cases, on a dark yellow leaf.
November 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
A Pipe Club (Macrotyphula fistulosa) found in Upshire today, not seen one before, one of the more bizarre fungus species I have seen. #EssexFungi #UKFungi
A Pipe Club, a strange tall thin fungus growing on a muddy patch of turf with fallen leaves.
November 17, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Andrew Jewels
yvonnecouch.bsky.social
By checking the antennal colours of the Hairy Shieldbugs Dolycoris baccarum I found at RSPB Rainham Marshes yesterday, I found a Vernal Shieldbug Peribalus strictus. The former has black and white banded antennae, while the latter has obvious orange on antennal segments 1 and 2.
Dolycoris baccarum, with pale tip to scutellum, banded connexivum, and black and white antennae Periballus strictus, with pale tip to scutellum, banded connexivum, but obviously orange antennal segments 1 and 2
November 14, 2025 at 11:12 AM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Very surprised to see a Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) flying around in Upshire, Essex this afternoon. #EssexWildlife #UKButterflies #flabbergasted
Clouded Yellow, a buttery yellow butterfly with black wing tips flying over a lawn.
November 13, 2025 at 4:27 PM
andrew-jewels.bsky.social
Interesting variation between these two Arboreal Ladybirds (Rhyzobius chrysomeloides) tapped out of a Euonymus shrub in my Waltham Abbey garden today. #EssexWildlife #UKLadybirds
Two Arboreal Ladybirds, one light and one dark, on pale canvas background.
November 12, 2025 at 4:34 PM