Bernard Van Elegem
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bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Bernard Van Elegem
@bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
1.8K followers 480 following 4.8K posts
Agency for Nature and Forests, nature protection and policy. Belief in independent science. Nature and wildlife photographer with a heart for the less known creatures. Trying to promote and protect the animals by showing their beauty. Birds Beetles Bonkers
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bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
#Beetleporn Mating Tortoise Beetles, #Cassida vittata, Belgium. While looking for ground #beetles along an estuarine bank, I bumped into these this horny couple having fun. #kezendekevers #elkedageeninsect #naturalscience #beetle #entomology #macrophotography #nature #coleoptera #biodiversity #macro
Image of a beetle couple, tortoise beetles with the male having large green fluo dorsal stripes and the female more subtle smaller golden blue stripes. #Beetleporn Mating Tortoise Beetles, #Cassida vittata, Belgium. While looking for ground #beetles along an estuarine bank, I bumped into these this horny couple having fun. #kezendekevers #elkedageeninsect #naturalscience #beetle #entomology #macrophotography #nature #coleoptera #biodiversity #macro
June 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Get wet & stinky! Salt Marsh Ground Beetle, Dicheirotrichus gustavii. In situ, Belgium. I was laying on wet smelly brackish shores for behaviour shots and rare #estuarine #beetle species. This individual was feeding on a little fly. #ElkeDagEenInsect #coleoptera #beetles #biodiversity #entomology
Get wet & stinky! Image of a medium sized ground beetle of 8 mm, pale yellowish, almost transparant. Feeding on a little fly with rainbow coloured wing reflections. Salt Marsh Ground Beetle, Dicheirotrichus gustavii. In situ, Belgium. I was laying on wet smelly brackish shores for behaviour shots and rare estuarine #beetle species. This is how I found this individual feeding on a little fly. #ElkeDagEenInsect #coleoptera #beetles #biodiversity #entomology
June 2, 2025 at 5:50 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Hidden #beetlegems on @bsky.app. Anthaxia Salicis, South France. Most people think you can only find such gems in the tropics. It occurs in Belgium too. The larvae prefer old oaks, adults are often seen on yellow Rananculus & Quercus. #beetles #coleoptera #buprestidae #ElkeDagEenInsect #entomology
Image of a small Jewel beetle on a buttercup. 6-7 cm, blue head and pronotum, and shields with dark red bordeaux and a tinge of blue and green at the basis. Hidden #beetlegems on @bsky.app. Anthaxia Salicis, South France. Most people think you can only find such gems in the tropics. It occurs in Belgium too. The larvae prefer old oaks, the adults are often seen on Rananculus species or on oak #beetles #coleoptera #buprestidae #ElkeDageenInsect #entomology
May 29, 2025 at 5:06 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Yertle, the mud Turtle. Tortoise Beetle, Cassida subreticulata, Found in the Dordogne, France, on a first warm day after a very long period of cold and rain. This specimen was covered in a mud crust. Anyone knows of adults going into a diapause and hiding in the ground? #ElkeDagEenInsect #Coleoptrea
Yertle, the mud crust covered Turtle. Tortoise Beetle, Cassida subreticulata. Bueatiful beetle with transparent shells like a tortoise, with turquoise-blue shields and yellow, green and gold on the head. I often spend a long time taking in situ images of rare and less known species. This way I often came across less known or described behaviour. This Tortoise Beetle was seen in the Dordogne in France, on the first warm day after a very long period of cold and rain. I did not touch the beetle and he was clearly covered in a 'relatively old' mud crust. This makes me suspect that the adults can go into a diapause and hide in the ground. Another possibility is that the larva spends a part of his life in the ground. I could not find anything about these phenomenon in literature.
May 28, 2025 at 5:58 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Shorty in a cloud of midges. Sort-eared Owl, Belgium. For some reasons #Owls are much loved. They are pretty, impressive, silent mysterious and often play a role in all kind of myths and tales, where they are associated with wisdom. #naturephotgraphy #owl #biodiversity #nature #birds #bird #nature
Image of a short-eared owl in backlight flying in a cloud of midges, all in golden evening colours. Shorty in a cloud of midges. Sort-eared Owl, Belgium. For some reasons #Owls are much loved. They are pretty, impressive, silent mysterious and often play a role in all kind of myths and tales, where they are associated with wisdom. #naturephotgraphy #owl #biodiversity #nature #birds #bird #nature
May 14, 2025 at 7:39 AM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Pseudotorymus species, a Chalcidoidea (Bronze Wasps), composed mostly of parasitoids and a few hyperparasitoids. They look as if they only pay attention to butt and legs at the gymm. Tiny species of 3 mm found on a dead tree. #elkedageeninsect #bugs #biodiversity #nature #macro #naturalscience #wasp
Tiny Bronze Golden Green Parasitoid Wasp. Super thick hindlegs and butt with long ovipositor. Pseudotorymus species, a Chalcidoidea (Bronze Wasps), composed mostly of parasitoids and a few hyperparasitoids. They look as if they only pay attention to butt and legs at the gymm. Tiny species of 3 mm that found on a dead tree close to my house in a city park of Gent, Belgium. #elkedageeninsect #bugs #biodiversity #nature #macro #naturalscience #wasp
May 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
#Mothercare on #Mothersday. How cute are those tiny little baby spiders of Pardosa Pullata, the Common #Wolfspider #piggybackriding on #mom 's back? #macro #macrophotography #spiders #biodiversity #naturalsciences Spiders are unloved by many people, but look how sweet and caring they are.
Picture of the Common Wolfspider with little babies on her back. Macrodetail seen from the back of the cute babies on the hairy back of mom and showing mom's head too. #Mothercare on #Mothersday. How cute are those tiny little baby spiders of Pardosa Pullata, the Common #Wolfspider #piggybackriding on #mom 's back? #macro #macrophotography #spiders #biodiversity #naturalsciences Spiders are unloved by many people, but look how sweet and caring they are.
May 11, 2025 at 10:01 AM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Brilliant image Jen, I love this image with the super tiny patch of sun. Not as impressive as yours, but he a similar one of a forested mountainscape from the Philippines:
May 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Spring Shrub and Tree Tapistry, part II. Bocage landscape with extensively maintained hedges, meadows and natural forest edges. #Buttercup in the meadow, #Hawthorn and #Ash as dominant species here. #nature #biodiversity #spring #tree #naturephotography #photography #scapes #travel #outdoor #scape
May 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
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Most enchating place that I ever visited! I loooove Hoh Rainforest. Brings back nice souvenirs. Here an image from already more then ten years ago.
May 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Guess: name as much as possible correct #tree and #shrub genera you see here. The beauty of Chaos. Spring Shrub and Tree Tapistry. I love the fact that you can see here the different stages with #buds, #flowers, #leaves. #nature #biodiversity #naturephotography #photography #landscapehotography #art
May 9, 2025 at 3:40 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Thanks a lot for the information Adam. I am myself super fascinated by the myrmecophiles, I had never heard of this species. I am working myself on a series of myrmecophiles in Belgium, but still a lot of work to do. Here one of my favourite ones: Batrisodes oculatus, living in Lasius ant nests.
May 8, 2025 at 8:09 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Hiding ambush predator in the last rays of sun. Now on
@bsky.app Dune Tiger Beetle, #Cicindela maritima , green colour morph. #Tigerbeetle #Cicindelidae #Elkedageeninsect #kever #coleoptera #macrophotography #biodiversity #beetle #nature #tigerbeetles #zandloopkever #naturephotography
White and green tiger beetle, with elegant design and powerful jaws. Hiding in the dunes. Hiding ambush predator in the last rays of sun. Now on @bsky.app Dune Tiger Beetle, #Cicindela maritima , green colour morph. #Tigerbeetle #Cicindelidae #Elkedageeninsect #kever #coleoptera #macrophotography #biodiversity #beetle #nature #tigerbeetles #zandloopkever #naturephotography
May 8, 2025 at 3:23 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
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What to do on #WeevilWednesday? Here is a dorsal view of my favorite #weevil of #WesternEurope. Sea Lavender weevil, photographed on the ground on a windy day in Belgium, on 19-04-2025. What's your favorite weevil? Feel free to post #weevils #ElkeDagEenInsect #naturephotography
#biodiversity
A beautiful little gem of a weevil of 3 mm, with purple gold-red and turqoise. What to do on #WeevilWednesday? Here is a dorsal view of my favorite #weevil of #WesternEurope. Sea Lavender weevil, photographed on the ground on a windy day in Belgium, on 19-04-2025. What's your favorite weevil? Feel free to post #weevils #ElkeDagEenInsect #naturephotography #biodiversity
May 7, 2025 at 11:27 AM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Meet da monsta! Now on @bsky.app A #voracious Dune Tiger Beetle, #Cicindela maritima with the remnants of a half devoured #Hydrophildae. #Tigerbeetle #Cicindelidae #Elkedageeninsect #kever #coleoptera #macrophotography #biodiversity #beetle #nature #tigerbeetles #zandloopkever #naturephotography
Meet da monsta! Now on @bsky.app A #voracious Dune Tiger Beetle, #Cicindela maritima with the remnants of a half devoured #Hydrophildae. #Tigerbeetle #Cicindelidae #Elkedageeninsect #kever #coleoptera #macrophotography #biodiversity #beetle #nature #tigerbeetles #natuur These guys are lean mean killers, delicate and a dangerous predator at the same time. Did you know that the Tiger Beetle is the fastest sprinter in the world, when taking his length into account? Although the running speed of only a few tiger beetles has been measured, these mind-blowing facts show how incredibly fast they are: an Australian Tiger beetle is able to run at a speed of 6,8 km per hour or 171 body lengths per second. It seems that they can even get blinded by their own speed. Usain Bolt, the 100m world record holder, may have a top speed of 44.2 km/h (27.3mph). With his length of 1.96m (6ft 5ins) tall, this is a mere 6 body lengths per second. If Usain Bolt would have the same speed per body length, this means he would be able to run at a speed of 1080 km/h!! So, I think we can easily agree on this: Super Usain rules the sprint!!
May 6, 2025 at 6:52 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
What to do on #TinyTuesday? Well, why not posting a picture of my favorite #weevil of #WesternEurope and good for #weevilwednesday too. Sea Lavender weevil, photographed on the ground on a windy day in Belgium, on 19-04-2025. What's your favorite weevil? Feel free to post #weevils #ElkeDagEenInsect
April 22, 2025 at 6:36 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
#frog Friday #FrogForFriday Past: Frog trying to catch a dragon fly. Future: vegan frog releasing a dragonfly on a friday holy frog ceremony?😉
April 18, 2025 at 9:25 AM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Let's share a cute #Philippine #endemic species: the Philippine flying lemur or Philippine #colugo, Cynocephalus volans photographed in situ at Rajah Sikatuna, #Bohol. This beautiful endemic is still quite common in the pristine rainforests of Rajah Sikatuna. #endemic #animal #wildlifephotography
Filipijnse Meerkat. A cute #Philippine #endemic species: the Philippine flying lemur or Philippine #colugo, Cynocephalus volans photographed in situ at Rajah Sikatuna, #Bohol, juli 2024. This beautiful endemic is still quite common in the pristine rainforests of Rajah Sikatuna. #endemic #animal #wildlifephotography
April 17, 2025 at 2:39 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Let's launch a new hashtag here. #SillyBirds. Feel free to add images or tag me. Concept: a real picture of a bird (no AI please!), in a funny, dumb or silly position or portrait. Any real bird which is funny is fine. Common Hill Myna thinks he is a kamikaze Pinguin. No Trump tariff on this one ...😅
April 14, 2025 at 2:15 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
My green friends are back. Green Tiger Beetle, Cicindela Campestris, Belgium. Saw my first ones on 18 march. Faster than lightning and built as lean mean killer machines. The beauty of danger. Did you know they can run so fast that they blind themself for a while? #Cicindela #beetles #entomology
My green friends are back. Green Tiger Beetle, Cicindela Campestris, Belgium. Saw my first ones on 18 march. They are faster than lightning and built as lean mean killer machines. The represent for me the beauty of danger. The can strike fast as hell and kill almost any invertebrate of up to their own size with their speed and powerful jaws. Did you know they can run so fast that they blind themself for a while? They have to stop then and reorientate themself.
April 7, 2025 at 3:55 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Another image of the Western marsh #harrier. A totally different approach here of the same dark male in his environment. Also made during the golden light evening hour on 4-06-2025 in the Polders of Flanders, Belgium. #birdsofprey #birdphotography #birds #raptors #biodiversity #birdofprey #nature
Meet the Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus. Studies with tagged birds have recently shown that some males stay their entire life very dark and are barely distinguishable from females at some distance. The pale yellow iris is typical for a male, you can easily see this better in my previous post of the same bird. Most of the males however become more pale on the entire head and wings as well as more contrasting when they become older. For some reasons I love dark predators with a pale eye. They evocate for me a mix between delicacy and hardcore danger. Ain't this a beauty? The image was made in the polders of West-Flanders, Belgium on 4-4-2025.
April 6, 2025 at 3:39 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Amazing picture, I took pictures from the same tree, which also caught my attention several years ago in 2014.
April 6, 2025 at 12:10 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Tortoise beetles are just amazing, I looove them. Here is very similar one I photographed in Costa Rica, Ischnocodia Annulus (maybe the same species) at Sarapiqui in 2019. #beetles #leafbeetles. Seen from aside they look like they just escaped from a comic book or a cartoon. #tortoisebeetles
April 6, 2025 at 9:13 AM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Western marsh #harrier. Some males stay their entire life very dark and are barely distinguishable from females. Most of the males however become paler and more contrasting when they age. I love dark predators with a pale eye. They evocate delicacy and hardcore danger. #birdsofprey #birdphotography
Meet the Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus. Studies with tagged birds have recently shown that some males stay their entire life very dark and are barely distinguishable from females at some distance. The pale yellow iris is typical for a male. Most of the males however become more pale on the entire head and wings as well as more contrasting when they become older. For some reasons I love dark predators with a pale eye. They evocate for me a mix between delicacy and hardcore danger. Ain't this a beauty? The image was made in the polders of West-Flanders, Belgium on 4-4-2025.
April 5, 2025 at 12:02 PM
bernardvanelegem.bsky.social
Solution of the guess, part 1. A gorgeous #woodpecker, endemic to #Palawan: Red-headed Flameback, Chrysocolaptes erythrocephalus, which I photographed there in July 2024. Left: female, right: male. #birding #birds #bird #birdphotography #nature on @bsky.app Thx @xbsharp.bsky.social for the guess.
April 4, 2025 at 12:47 PM