Mark Webster
@crepidodera.bsky.social
Weevil fancier and volunteer with local nature conservation groups in the Halesowen area.
I seem now to be getting more and more garbage on Bluesky. It's now more like X with lots of weird posts filling up my feed that have nothing to do with Nature. Why so many posts about Trans gaming cartoonists ? Think I need to abandon it and use Facebook which is quite good for Nature posts.
August 10, 2025 at 3:11 PM
I seem now to be getting more and more garbage on Bluesky. It's now more like X with lots of weird posts filling up my feed that have nothing to do with Nature. Why so many posts about Trans gaming cartoonists ? Think I need to abandon it and use Facebook which is quite good for Nature posts.
I'd no idea Water Crickets came in such small sizes. This one is only about 1.5mm but is an adult - Microvelia reticulata - found in one of the ponds at Warren's Hall, Dudley. It has two slightly larger relatives I haven't found yet.
August 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I'd no idea Water Crickets came in such small sizes. This one is only about 1.5mm but is an adult - Microvelia reticulata - found in one of the ponds at Warren's Hall, Dudley. It has two slightly larger relatives I haven't found yet.
When it comes to naming beetles you'd just have to call this one the Cherrystone beetle (Hyphydrus ovatus). Nothing better than having 5 of these darting about in the sampling tray.
August 5, 2025 at 8:07 PM
When it comes to naming beetles you'd just have to call this one the Cherrystone beetle (Hyphydrus ovatus). Nothing better than having 5 of these darting about in the sampling tray.
All the action's on the Fleabane now. What a wonderful plant for inverts. I thought this was a Tachinid fly but it's the Hoverfly Eristalinus sepulchralis.
August 4, 2025 at 3:29 PM
All the action's on the Fleabane now. What a wonderful plant for inverts. I thought this was a Tachinid fly but it's the Hoverfly Eristalinus sepulchralis.
So today's challenge was trying to find any tiny water beetles in a large sampling tray when it's full of Saucer Bugs. Never seen as many and as I discovered they stab first and ask questions later. I'm so used to handling friendly beetles but these things are complete psychopaths. Hurts as well !
August 1, 2025 at 5:09 PM
So today's challenge was trying to find any tiny water beetles in a large sampling tray when it's full of Saucer Bugs. Never seen as many and as I discovered they stab first and ask questions later. I'm so used to handling friendly beetles but these things are complete psychopaths. Hurts as well !
The Cherrystone water beetle (Hyphydrus ovatus) is one of my favourites as it really does resemble a tiny cherry stone swimming around in the water. Found one today at Barrows Hill but also this curious looking creature with what looks like a long nose. I think it must be the beetle larva.
July 30, 2025 at 8:10 PM
The Cherrystone water beetle (Hyphydrus ovatus) is one of my favourites as it really does resemble a tiny cherry stone swimming around in the water. Found one today at Barrows Hill but also this curious looking creature with what looks like a long nose. I think it must be the beetle larva.
This beetle has got me thinking. I'm pretty sure it's Galerucella calmariensis that's often found on Purple Loosestrife. But I've never seen one before with those two distinctive black spots on the elytra. Makes me wonder if all beetles might have a gene that can throw up spots once in a while.
July 28, 2025 at 1:49 PM
This beetle has got me thinking. I'm pretty sure it's Galerucella calmariensis that's often found on Purple Loosestrife. But I've never seen one before with those two distinctive black spots on the elytra. Makes me wonder if all beetles might have a gene that can throw up spots once in a while.
What I love about species recording are the seemingly endless surprises that keep you guessing. Like this 4mm "thingy" swimming around in my pond-dipping tray today. Turns out it's a Fish Louse (Argulus foliaceus?) The two big circles are actually the suction cups it uses to latch onto a fish.
July 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
What I love about species recording are the seemingly endless surprises that keep you guessing. Like this 4mm "thingy" swimming around in my pond-dipping tray today. Turns out it's a Fish Louse (Argulus foliaceus?) The two big circles are actually the suction cups it uses to latch onto a fish.
Beautiful Deer Fly (Chrysops relictus) seen laying eggs beside pond at Fen's Pool. Just look at those eyes !
July 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Beautiful Deer Fly (Chrysops relictus) seen laying eggs beside pond at Fen's Pool. Just look at those eyes !
This might just look like a photo of a Brimstone but in 3 years or more of chasing bugs around with a camera this is the first time I've ever managed to get a Brimstone at rest !
July 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
This might just look like a photo of a Brimstone but in 3 years or more of chasing bugs around with a camera this is the first time I've ever managed to get a Brimstone at rest !
What happens on a baking hot day when you go looking in Hazel trees for Hazel Leaf-Rollers ? Of course, you get a Purple Hairstreak !
July 11, 2025 at 8:08 PM
What happens on a baking hot day when you go looking in Hazel trees for Hazel Leaf-Rollers ? Of course, you get a Purple Hairstreak !
Was at Monk Wood in Worcestershire yesterday. Famous for it's Wood White's which despite furnace temperatures were in abundance. Beautiful butterflies but what really made my day was seeing this right in front of me on a Bramble overhanging the path. The Horned tree-Hopper (Centrotus cornutus).
July 11, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Was at Monk Wood in Worcestershire yesterday. Famous for it's Wood White's which despite furnace temperatures were in abundance. Beautiful butterflies but what really made my day was seeing this right in front of me on a Bramble overhanging the path. The Horned tree-Hopper (Centrotus cornutus).
Feeling a bit guilty now as I might have disturbed this Hazel Leaf-Roller while it was at work. Only just noticed that the inside of the mid tibia is serrated, I wonder if that helps grip the leaf when rolling it up? The the end result is always great to see. Like cigar stubs hanging from the tree.
July 4, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Feeling a bit guilty now as I might have disturbed this Hazel Leaf-Roller while it was at work. Only just noticed that the inside of the mid tibia is serrated, I wonder if that helps grip the leaf when rolling it up? The the end result is always great to see. Like cigar stubs hanging from the tree.
What makes bug hunting so much fun is the sheer random finds. In wellies in the pool looking for Reed Beetles and see an "odd looking 7-spot" hiding in the sheathes of a Reed just above the water line. Adonis Ladybird! 1st one I've ever found. Think I wasted a lot of time looking in "gravel pits" !
July 3, 2025 at 6:42 PM
What makes bug hunting so much fun is the sheer random finds. In wellies in the pool looking for Reed Beetles and see an "odd looking 7-spot" hiding in the sheathes of a Reed just above the water line. Adonis Ladybird! 1st one I've ever found. Think I wasted a lot of time looking in "gravel pits" !
Curculio glandium - such a fabulous weevil - and it seems to be in just about every Oak tree with a bit of sun on it.
July 2, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Curculio glandium - such a fabulous weevil - and it seems to be in just about every Oak tree with a bit of sun on it.
June 24, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Pond dipping at Ryders Mere. I think this might have been a very tiny Stickleback I had on the end of my spoon.
June 22, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Pond dipping at Ryders Mere. I think this might have been a very tiny Stickleback I had on the end of my spoon.
Most of the Damselfly nymphs I found yesterday were a dark or dull brown in colour except this one which really stood out. I wonder if they gain colour as they become more mature as this one already has quite long wings ?
June 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Most of the Damselfly nymphs I found yesterday were a dark or dull brown in colour except this one which really stood out. I wonder if they gain colour as they become more mature as this one already has quite long wings ?
Started spending more time in wellies looking at what lives in the water. What I love about pond dipping are all the weird little creatures you find that you just can't name.
June 21, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Started spending more time in wellies looking at what lives in the water. What I love about pond dipping are all the weird little creatures you find that you just can't name.
Well I never thought I'd end up finding leeches so adorable. But look at those eyes.
June 21, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Well I never thought I'd end up finding leeches so adorable. But look at those eyes.
Just along River Stour near Stourbridge and the Merlin app keeps saying "Nightjar". Then again there's a farmer with an old David Brown tractor in the next field.
June 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Just along River Stour near Stourbridge and the Merlin app keeps saying "Nightjar". Then again there's a farmer with an old David Brown tractor in the next field.
Interesting range of colours to these shieldbug eggs I saw the other day on Lucerne. They all appear to be occupied. Wonder why the differing colours ?
June 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Interesting range of colours to these shieldbug eggs I saw the other day on Lucerne. They all appear to be occupied. Wonder why the differing colours ?
Never knew anything fed on Hemlock Water-dropwort as it's so poisonous. But saw lots of these wonderfully coloured caterpillars yesterday at Rattlechain Lagoon. As ever with brightly coloured caterpillars - they end up as dull brown moths - in this case Depressaria daucella.
June 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Never knew anything fed on Hemlock Water-dropwort as it's so poisonous. But saw lots of these wonderfully coloured caterpillars yesterday at Rattlechain Lagoon. As ever with brightly coloured caterpillars - they end up as dull brown moths - in this case Depressaria daucella.
Visited Rattlechain Lagoon today with 2 fellow members of Sandwell Naturalists. Thanks to their expertise and eagle eyes we managed to find a good number of Small Blue butterflies and their eggs, on Kidney Vetch. They are astonishingly small ! Photo shows a single egg at the base of the flower.
June 13, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Visited Rattlechain Lagoon today with 2 fellow members of Sandwell Naturalists. Thanks to their expertise and eagle eyes we managed to find a good number of Small Blue butterflies and their eggs, on Kidney Vetch. They are astonishingly small ! Photo shows a single egg at the base of the flower.
West Mids is such a bizarre place to go species recording. Spent today at the wonderfully named Rattlechain Lagoon notorious for it's long history of chemical dumping. Dogs that jump in the lagoon catch fire from phosphorous. What do I find? Leptura quadrifasciata, associated with ancient woodlands!
June 13, 2025 at 7:07 PM
West Mids is such a bizarre place to go species recording. Spent today at the wonderfully named Rattlechain Lagoon notorious for it's long history of chemical dumping. Dogs that jump in the lagoon catch fire from phosphorous. What do I find? Leptura quadrifasciata, associated with ancient woodlands!