Andy Musgrove
@andymus.bsky.social
All-taxa naturalist, on a journey to understand what biodiversity really means. Freelance ecological consultant. Norfolk Sawfly Recorder. BUBO founder. Pan-species Lister.
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
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...
Poor photos, but I think this aquatic bug could be a 2nd for Britain - looks like Sigara longipalis from what I can tell. Only other record(?) from Norfolk in 2006. I found this on my farm survey in Suffolk last month. If anyone knows more about this species, I'd be interested to hear.
October 21, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Poor photos, but I think this aquatic bug could be a 2nd for Britain - looks like Sigara longipalis from what I can tell. Only other record(?) from Norfolk in 2006. I found this on my farm survey in Suffolk last month. If anyone knows more about this species, I'd be interested to hear.
Here's a mutANT. Identification via standard keys fails. It's actually an aberrant individual of a Myrmica species where the petiole has fused with the thorax (and the usual spines have disappeared also). Found on St Martin's (Scilly) last week. Thanks to Andrew Jarman for confirming my suspicions.
October 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Here's a mutANT. Identification via standard keys fails. It's actually an aberrant individual of a Myrmica species where the petiole has fused with the thorax (and the usual spines have disappeared also). Found on St Martin's (Scilly) last week. Thanks to Andrew Jarman for confirming my suspicions.
This male Tachina from Shotesham (E Norfolk) in August looks pretty spot-on for the newly colonising (or at least newly recognised) T. magnicornis
September 28, 2025 at 8:02 AM
This male Tachina from Shotesham (E Norfolk) in August looks pretty spot-on for the newly colonising (or at least newly recognised) T. magnicornis
Species 8,298: Macrosteles sardus, a hopper beaten from Great Willowherb on Shotesham Common, 100m from my desk. Thanks to @tim-hodge.bsky.social for the suggestion!
September 26, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Species 8,298: Macrosteles sardus, a hopper beaten from Great Willowherb on Shotesham Common, 100m from my desk. Thanks to @tim-hodge.bsky.social for the suggestion!
Really enjoyed talking sawflies all day long today with the @norfolknats.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Really enjoyed talking sawflies all day long today with the @norfolknats.bsky.social
View from my 39th and final professional fieldwork day of the year. Nice to get them all done and dusted. Just a teeny number of specimens to identify next then.
September 10, 2025 at 7:40 PM
View from my 39th and final professional fieldwork day of the year. Nice to get them all done and dusted. Just a teeny number of specimens to identify next then.
This appears to be the seldom-recorded Issus muscaeformis, from Hampshire this week. Pale band across the lower face, and (although it's hard to see on my pics), the underside of the abdominal apex also seems to show the correct features (not sure what they're all called!) Latest iRecord map shown.
September 6, 2025 at 7:55 AM
This appears to be the seldom-recorded Issus muscaeformis, from Hampshire this week. Pale band across the lower face, and (although it's hard to see on my pics), the underside of the abdominal apex also seems to show the correct features (not sure what they're all called!) Latest iRecord map shown.
Species 8,275: Asilus crabroniformis (Hornet Robberfly) at Magdalen Hill Down this morning between the showers. After failing by wandering around looking out for them on cowpats on in flight, I swung a net through the vegetation and immediately found in there!
September 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Species 8,275: Asilus crabroniformis (Hornet Robberfly) at Magdalen Hill Down this morning between the showers. After failing by wandering around looking out for them on cowpats on in flight, I swung a net through the vegetation and immediately found in there!
3 new spp in Hants today. Barred Hook-tip (Watsonalla cultraria) in the moth-trap (my top moth target on @panspecieslisting.bsky.social), Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) in a damp hollow down by the coast, and "Jersey Ladybird" (poor name!) (Calvia decemguttata) tapped out of Holly at Matley Bog.
September 2, 2025 at 7:30 PM
3 new spp in Hants today. Barred Hook-tip (Watsonalla cultraria) in the moth-trap (my top moth target on @panspecieslisting.bsky.social), Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) in a damp hollow down by the coast, and "Jersey Ladybird" (poor name!) (Calvia decemguttata) tapped out of Holly at Matley Bog.
As we were passing today, carried out a hit-and-run shieldbug twitch in Waltham Abbey. Just one Graphosoma italicum seen in the rain. Species 8,270 for my @panspecieslisting.bsky.social
September 1, 2025 at 5:43 PM
As we were passing today, carried out a hit-and-run shieldbug twitch in Waltham Abbey. Just one Graphosoma italicum seen in the rain. Species 8,270 for my @panspecieslisting.bsky.social
Species 8,250: Polistes dominula (European Paper Wasp), c20 showing well at Little Plumstead Walled Garden, mostly on Red Bistort. Thanks @timstrudwick.bsky.social for the location. Good coffee/cakes too!
August 23, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Species 8,250: Polistes dominula (European Paper Wasp), c20 showing well at Little Plumstead Walled Garden, mostly on Red Bistort. Thanks @timstrudwick.bsky.social for the location. Good coffee/cakes too!
Couple of other recent colonists from last night's moth-trap at Dennington (Suffolk). Musotima nivalis (Marbled Fern) seemingly now cropping up anywhere with any ferns. Mythimna vitellina (Delicate) long-known as a migrant but now clearly established as resident, with 6 seen (and no other migrants).
August 21, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Couple of other recent colonists from last night's moth-trap at Dennington (Suffolk). Musotima nivalis (Marbled Fern) seemingly now cropping up anywhere with any ferns. Mythimna vitellina (Delicate) long-known as a migrant but now clearly established as resident, with 6 seen (and no other migrants).
Long overdue addition to the village list, finally spotted this subtle species on Shotesham Common just now. Species 2,984 for the home 1 km square #CharismaticMegafauna
August 21, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Long overdue addition to the village list, finally spotted this subtle species on Shotesham Common just now. Species 2,984 for the home 1 km square #CharismaticMegafauna
These have gotta be Nezara viridula (Southern Green Shieldbug) surely? In my Norfolk garden, very few county records to date @britishbugs.bsky.social
August 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
These have gotta be Nezara viridula (Southern Green Shieldbug) surely? In my Norfolk garden, very few county records to date @britishbugs.bsky.social
Nice way to start today's surveys around Dennington estate in Suffolk
August 21, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Nice way to start today's surveys around Dennington estate in Suffolk
Arocatus found at Walberswick (Suffolk) yesterday. Beaten from birch/oak/pine/rowan belt on edge of dry heath. No Platanus in sight, and no Alnus for over 500m. Are these known from birches now maybe? And any advance on what species to call them yet? @britishbugs.bsky.social @arcanelove.bsky.social
August 8, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Arocatus found at Walberswick (Suffolk) yesterday. Beaten from birch/oak/pine/rowan belt on edge of dry heath. No Platanus in sight, and no Alnus for over 500m. Are these known from birches now maybe? And any advance on what species to call them yet? @britishbugs.bsky.social @arcanelove.bsky.social
My first new bird in Britain for over 3 years. I've seen over 1,800 other new species in the meantime, mind.
August 7, 2025 at 7:34 PM
My first new bird in Britain for over 3 years. I've seen over 1,800 other new species in the meantime, mind.
2nd apparent Scarce 7-spot Ladybird in a month, in birch woodland nr Suffolk coast at Walberswick - somewhat out of range? Formica fusca the only 'wood ants' present. Would be good if any ladybird experts can confirm I'm not mucking this up. The "white patch" is a bit dull (cos stored in alcohol?)
August 2, 2025 at 3:18 PM
2nd apparent Scarce 7-spot Ladybird in a month, in birch woodland nr Suffolk coast at Walberswick - somewhat out of range? Formica fusca the only 'wood ants' present. Would be good if any ladybird experts can confirm I'm not mucking this up. The "white patch" is a bit dull (cos stored in alcohol?)
First discovered by Steve Lane last year in Norfolk (PSL lists below). Gosh, I really need to look out for these
August 1, 2025 at 11:56 AM
First discovered by Steve Lane last year in Norfolk (PSL lists below). Gosh, I really need to look out for these
See notes on NatureSpot, which doesn't quite answer it for you! In a similar vein, I had a dwarf form of 7-spot Ladybird this week too. Weather-related somehow? www.naturespot.org/species/forg...
July 31, 2025 at 8:42 PM
See notes on NatureSpot, which doesn't quite answer it for you! In a similar vein, I had a dwarf form of 7-spot Ladybird this week too. Weather-related somehow? www.naturespot.org/species/forg...
Great long weekend just gone, hosting BUBO friends for Norfolk PSL shenanigans. A varied list of 22 new species for me, some common and some rare. Great fun!
July 31, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Great long weekend just gone, hosting BUBO friends for Norfolk PSL shenanigans. A varied list of 22 new species for me, some common and some rare. Great fun!
We found a Spindle leaf at Strumpshaw Fen this weekend covered in this weird stuff. It wasn't clear in the field if they were animal or vegetable in origin. Further investigation suggests that they're a scale insect, Unaspis euonymi. Never heard of it - educational!
July 30, 2025 at 8:10 AM
We found a Spindle leaf at Strumpshaw Fen this weekend covered in this weird stuff. It wasn't clear in the field if they were animal or vegetable in origin. Further investigation suggests that they're a scale insect, Unaspis euonymi. Never heard of it - educational!
I don't know quite what prompted me to take a 2nd look at this 7-spot, but I'm glad I did. The underside patterning would appear to make it Coccinella magnifica, the Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. From Hampshire a couple of weeks ago
July 24, 2025 at 3:46 PM
I don't know quite what prompted me to take a 2nd look at this 7-spot, but I'm glad I did. The underside patterning would appear to make it Coccinella magnifica, the Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. From Hampshire a couple of weeks ago
A most unwell Large White caterpillar on our wall today. I believe the cocoons below are those of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata, and the adults wasps look like they may be Lysibia nanus. Any confirmation/correction very welcome as always.
July 23, 2025 at 9:06 PM
A most unwell Large White caterpillar on our wall today. I believe the cocoons below are those of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata, and the adults wasps look like they may be Lysibia nanus. Any confirmation/correction very welcome as always.