Andrew Douglas
@andydouglas1967.bsky.social
Spiders, inverts, botany, birds, wine, beer, food, pottery, aircraft. Not necessarily in that order. See @andydouglas1967-IT.bsky.social for IT/Computer Science stuff. West Norfolk and South Northamptonshire.
Micrargus herbigradus palp, taken using the new 'washer on a slide' method - dab of gel, palp, topped up with alcohol. Much clearer, you can't see the gel, and the 'curly appendage' that makes it herbigradus is visible amongst the curls of the embolus. This is slightly enhanced in GIMP.
November 18, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Micrargus herbigradus palp, taken using the new 'washer on a slide' method - dab of gel, palp, topped up with alcohol. Much clearer, you can't see the gel, and the 'curly appendage' that makes it herbigradus is visible amongst the curls of the embolus. This is slightly enhanced in GIMP.
None of the record-details pages are showing on iRecord - they all say 'Page not found'. Is it just me?
November 18, 2025 at 1:11 PM
None of the record-details pages are showing on iRecord - they all say 'Page not found'. Is it just me?
Home. MOT done with two advisories which I can get sorted. Relieved.
November 18, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Home. MOT done with two advisories which I can get sorted. Relieved.
MOT day, the day I hate most. To top it off Starbucks has closed so no where warm to sit and read. Having a hot chocolate in M&S and then head back to garage. Slot isn’t til 11.30!
November 18, 2025 at 11:08 AM
MOT day, the day I hate most. To top it off Starbucks has closed so no where warm to sit and read. Having a hot chocolate in M&S and then head back to garage. Slot isn’t til 11.30!
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
Sunday book review: Spiders and Harvestmen of Yorkshire by @ecology-digest.bsky.social
Publisher: Pisces
Review: markavery.info/2025/11/16/s...
@ynuorg.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social @yorkshiredales.org.uk @northyorkmoors.org.uk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @wildsheffield.bsky.social
Publisher: Pisces
Review: markavery.info/2025/11/16/s...
@ynuorg.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social @yorkshiredales.org.uk @northyorkmoors.org.uk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @wildsheffield.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Sunday book review: Spiders and Harvestmen of Yorkshire by @ecology-digest.bsky.social
Publisher: Pisces
Review: markavery.info/2025/11/16/s...
@ynuorg.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social @yorkshiredales.org.uk @northyorkmoors.org.uk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @wildsheffield.bsky.social
Publisher: Pisces
Review: markavery.info/2025/11/16/s...
@ynuorg.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social @yorkshiredales.org.uk @northyorkmoors.org.uk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @wildsheffield.bsky.social
In other news I bought a cheap deck to play my records. Technologically backwards but nice to hear again. Starting with a favourite (which I have digitally anyway.)
November 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
In other news I bought a cheap deck to play my records. Technologically backwards but nice to hear again. Starting with a favourite (which I have digitally anyway.)
My latest wheeze, once I find some glue, is sticking plastic nylon washers to microscope slides, to hold palps and spiders. Not as deep as a tube lid, a dab of gel, a palp, then alcohol on top. We’ll see what happens. Had those slides for over 20 years!
November 15, 2025 at 4:29 PM
My latest wheeze, once I find some glue, is sticking plastic nylon washers to microscope slides, to hold palps and spiders. Not as deep as a tube lid, a dab of gel, a palp, then alcohol on top. We’ll see what happens. Had those slides for over 20 years!
Ooh - just arrived. Looks good. The first of the three books I ordered and paid for half a year ago. Not that I ever go to Yorkshire these days.
November 15, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Ooh - just arrived. Looks good. The first of the three books I ordered and paid for half a year ago. Not that I ever go to Yorkshire these days.
Last of the polytunnel peppers. Small Poblanos and Beaver Dam, which are the same species but with a kick. Would have made good Chipotle if I could be bothered to process, I suspect. Some for tonight’s Texas chilli, rest for freezer.
November 15, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Last of the polytunnel peppers. Small Poblanos and Beaver Dam, which are the same species but with a kick. Would have made good Chipotle if I could be bothered to process, I suspect. Some for tonight’s Texas chilli, rest for freezer.
Just been to Tesco. Nice to see dripping rain coming through one of the light fittings in the entrance way. And there was a power cut when I got to the checkouts, which reset a lot of them. Fortunately, it wasn't too busy. Loaded up with Lebkuchen for the weekend.
November 14, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Just been to Tesco. Nice to see dripping rain coming through one of the light fittings in the entrance way. And there was a power cut when I got to the checkouts, which reset a lot of them. Fortunately, it wasn't too busy. Loaded up with Lebkuchen for the weekend.
Just checked - still got my copy.
On this day, 45 years ago, #Visage released their debut album "Visage" including their breakout hit "Fade To Grey".
Dan LeRoy for AllMusic wrote "this is the music that best represents the short-lived but always underrated #newromantic movement", calling it "a consistently fine creation".
Dan LeRoy for AllMusic wrote "this is the music that best represents the short-lived but always underrated #newromantic movement", calling it "a consistently fine creation".
November 14, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Just checked - still got my copy.
Advised ages ago that I'd need a new tyre on the car so had it fitted this morning. Came with an advisory that probably will need another for Tuesdays MOT - never ending. Paid the £72 for alignment - not sure if that's a scam or not, but I suppose it does feel a bit better to drive. Hate MOT day.
November 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Advised ages ago that I'd need a new tyre on the car so had it fitted this morning. Came with an advisory that probably will need another for Tuesdays MOT - never ending. Paid the £72 for alignment - not sure if that's a scam or not, but I suppose it does feel a bit better to drive. Hate MOT day.
Update on the handgel for holding/covering specimens under the compound scope. Still no good. I bought 6 bottles of the Garnier gel but either it's a different recipe, or the bottles don't contain what they say they contain. Optical qualities pretty rubbish. Have diluted but no real improvement.
November 13, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Update on the handgel for holding/covering specimens under the compound scope. Still no good. I bought 6 bottles of the Garnier gel but either it's a different recipe, or the bottles don't contain what they say they contain. Optical qualities pretty rubbish. Have diluted but no real improvement.
Oh well. I wrote to my MP about the appropriate amendments to the planning bill. He wrote back saying he supported the two amendments that were pertinent and was going to speak in favour of them. Voted against them both as far as I can tell. Tosser.
November 13, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Oh well. I wrote to my MP about the appropriate amendments to the planning bill. He wrote back saying he supported the two amendments that were pertinent and was going to speak in favour of them. Voted against them both as far as I can tell. Tosser.
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
Sky at Night always used to have an early repeat - and we're back, with our collaboration with the Curious Cases team on at 7pm tomorrow on BBC4. Please watch if you possibly can - support your local science program! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Four - The Sky at Night, Space Mysteries: The Sky at Night Meets Curious Cases
Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain join the team to answer viewers' burning queries about space.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Sky at Night always used to have an early repeat - and we're back, with our collaboration with the Curious Cases team on at 7pm tomorrow on BBC4. Please watch if you possibly can - support your local science program! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Every so often someone posts a spider photo and you think, yes I've seen one of those recently. In this case it's the tiny tiny Theonoe - I'm sure it was in one of the tubes i've looked at recently. But I've been through most of the recent tubes and I can't find whatever it was. Frustrating.
November 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Every so often someone posts a spider photo and you think, yes I've seen one of those recently. In this case it's the tiny tiny Theonoe - I'm sure it was in one of the tubes i've looked at recently. But I've been through most of the recent tubes and I can't find whatever it was. Frustrating.
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
People of London! PLEASE SHARE. I lost my necklace last night (10th Nov), and I'm hoping someone has found it. I caught the Northern Line from High Barnet to Leicester Square, then walked to the Prince Charles Cinema, then the same back again. I only noticed it was gone when I got home.
November 11, 2025 at 2:40 PM
People of London! PLEASE SHARE. I lost my necklace last night (10th Nov), and I'm hoping someone has found it. I caught the Northern Line from High Barnet to Leicester Square, then walked to the Prince Charles Cinema, then the same back again. I only noticed it was gone when I got home.
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
November 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
Also from Dersingham wood, leaf litter, Tenuiphantes flavipes and Agyneta rurestris. There were other things. I'd never seen Drapetisca socialis, which we saw a few of, and in the bog, Hypsosinga cf pygmaea and Tibbelus sp, and an odd black and white job under a log (probably a dark Pachygnatha.)
November 10, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Also from Dersingham wood, leaf litter, Tenuiphantes flavipes and Agyneta rurestris. There were other things. I'd never seen Drapetisca socialis, which we saw a few of, and in the bog, Hypsosinga cf pygmaea and Tibbelus sp, and an odd black and white job under a log (probably a dark Pachygnatha.)
An odd one from yesterdays trip to Dersingham Bog. Took ages for the moss folk to get to the bog proper, but here's a presumed Zygiella sp on what was a smooth-ish tree, with nest. Well, I wasn't expecting it there, anyway. Maybe it's a thing, I don't know. Not many bushes nearby but a lot cleared.
November 10, 2025 at 6:57 PM
An odd one from yesterdays trip to Dersingham Bog. Took ages for the moss folk to get to the bog proper, but here's a presumed Zygiella sp on what was a smooth-ish tree, with nest. Well, I wasn't expecting it there, anyway. Maybe it's a thing, I don't know. Not many bushes nearby but a lot cleared.
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
My friend Penny Green has started a new podcast over the last few months, I recorded this with her back in July and it's just been released. I was surveying the arable margins for invertebrates on the Wiston Estate. It's a great listen.
Marginal Gains - The Wandering Ecologist Podcast
Episode 5 takes us on top of the South Downs at the Wiston Estate where I join awesome entomologist, Graeme Lyons, on some invertebrate surveys. We’re looking at the benefits of having wildflower stri...
thewanderingecologistpodcast.buzzsprout.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM
My friend Penny Green has started a new podcast over the last few months, I recorded this with her back in July and it's just been released. I was surveying the arable margins for invertebrates on the Wiston Estate. It's a great listen.
Tasting the umeboshi Sloes. Fruity and not too salty - very pleasant indeed. Not sure what you’d do with it - with rice perhaps?
November 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Tasting the umeboshi Sloes. Fruity and not too salty - very pleasant indeed. Not sure what you’d do with it - with rice perhaps?
First time looking through the 15x eye pieces at spiders from Sweet Briars. Bathyphantes approximatus female, easy to see. 67.5x on zoom. Much better.
November 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
First time looking through the 15x eye pieces at spiders from Sweet Briars. Bathyphantes approximatus female, easy to see. 67.5x on zoom. Much better.
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
Worrying reports of bird flu (avian influenza) are coming in, including an outbreak in Whooper Swans in the Fens. Other waterbirds are also being affected, and cases are rising.
📷 Sick Whooper Swan by Kane Brides
#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland
📷 Sick Whooper Swan by Kane Brides
#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland
November 6, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Worrying reports of bird flu (avian influenza) are coming in, including an outbreak in Whooper Swans in the Fens. Other waterbirds are also being affected, and cases are rising.
📷 Sick Whooper Swan by Kane Brides
#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland
📷 Sick Whooper Swan by Kane Brides
#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland
Reposted by Andrew Douglas
Well that was pretty darned awesome. BABAKINA!!!
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/chas...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/chas...
November 6, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Well that was pretty darned awesome. BABAKINA!!!
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/chas...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/11/chas...