George Hogg
@georgehogg.bsky.social
Wildlife Manager / Surveyor , Conservationist for Freedom Group and Dalkia .
Country columnist in local newspapers for many years.
Author of Practical Pest Control.
Owner of Hogg Estate Services for many years
Country columnist in local newspapers for many years.
Author of Practical Pest Control.
Owner of Hogg Estate Services for many years
Thrilled by the discovery of a tardigrade egg in the wildlife pond . Seeing an adult tardigrade is top of my bucket list ,and this discovery suggests that day might not be too far away !
November 23, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Thrilled by the discovery of a tardigrade egg in the wildlife pond . Seeing an adult tardigrade is top of my bucket list ,and this discovery suggests that day might not be too far away !
Another 100 rockrose plugs planted at Torness to create habitat for Northern Brown Argus butterfly.
Many thanks to Nick of East Lothian Council countryside rangers
Many thanks to Nick of East Lothian Council countryside rangers
November 10, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Another 100 rockrose plugs planted at Torness to create habitat for Northern Brown Argus butterfly.
Many thanks to Nick of East Lothian Council countryside rangers
Many thanks to Nick of East Lothian Council countryside rangers
Red letter day ,finally saw and photographed a tardigrade after over 60 years of being a naturalist .
I have a good excuse as these animals are minute .
It is the transparent creature ,here feeding ,head uppermost.
Just need to find rotifers and pseudoscorpions to complete my micro bucket list !
I have a good excuse as these animals are minute .
It is the transparent creature ,here feeding ,head uppermost.
Just need to find rotifers and pseudoscorpions to complete my micro bucket list !
November 10, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Red letter day ,finally saw and photographed a tardigrade after over 60 years of being a naturalist .
I have a good excuse as these animals are minute .
It is the transparent creature ,here feeding ,head uppermost.
Just need to find rotifers and pseudoscorpions to complete my micro bucket list !
I have a good excuse as these animals are minute .
It is the transparent creature ,here feeding ,head uppermost.
Just need to find rotifers and pseudoscorpions to complete my micro bucket list !
Having a decent knowledge of visible pond life ,I am drawn to study the foundations of that ecosystem .
Microscope upgraded.
The smaller you go ,the further back in evolution you travel. Here is some Volvox algae . If I don't get lost in the microcosmos ,I'll show you more soon
Microscope upgraded.
The smaller you go ,the further back in evolution you travel. Here is some Volvox algae . If I don't get lost in the microcosmos ,I'll show you more soon
November 8, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Having a decent knowledge of visible pond life ,I am drawn to study the foundations of that ecosystem .
Microscope upgraded.
The smaller you go ,the further back in evolution you travel. Here is some Volvox algae . If I don't get lost in the microcosmos ,I'll show you more soon
Microscope upgraded.
The smaller you go ,the further back in evolution you travel. Here is some Volvox algae . If I don't get lost in the microcosmos ,I'll show you more soon
Hoping to film my garden Bank Voles but gatecrashed by a Wren !
October 31, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Hoping to film my garden Bank Voles but gatecrashed by a Wren !
Naming garden ferns. Would welcome more expert opinions .
Clockwise..shield fern, shaggy shield fern, rock polypody, maidenhair spleenwort, hard shield fern , harts tongue , spinulose wood fern , Irish spleenwort . Autumn fern.
2nd pic. Lady Fern &Crested Buckler Fern
Clockwise..shield fern, shaggy shield fern, rock polypody, maidenhair spleenwort, hard shield fern , harts tongue , spinulose wood fern , Irish spleenwort . Autumn fern.
2nd pic. Lady Fern &Crested Buckler Fern
October 27, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Naming garden ferns. Would welcome more expert opinions .
Clockwise..shield fern, shaggy shield fern, rock polypody, maidenhair spleenwort, hard shield fern , harts tongue , spinulose wood fern , Irish spleenwort . Autumn fern.
2nd pic. Lady Fern &Crested Buckler Fern
Clockwise..shield fern, shaggy shield fern, rock polypody, maidenhair spleenwort, hard shield fern , harts tongue , spinulose wood fern , Irish spleenwort . Autumn fern.
2nd pic. Lady Fern &Crested Buckler Fern
Turns out they are Polycelis tenuis ,a common type of pond flatworm living on diatoms and other miniscule prey in the surface film by night . A favourite food source is the floating husks of flies sucked hollow by pond skaters .By day they are mere stationary buds (pic below)
October 25, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Turns out they are Polycelis tenuis ,a common type of pond flatworm living on diatoms and other miniscule prey in the surface film by night . A favourite food source is the floating husks of flies sucked hollow by pond skaters .By day they are mere stationary buds (pic below)
I'm currently investigating which 6mm species of freshwater flatworm swarms around my pond surface at night .
I need to know what it eats ,how it breeds , and where it fits into the pond ecosystem. There is so much to learn in nature and it's all utterly amazing ! Go on ,dive in !
I need to know what it eats ,how it breeds , and where it fits into the pond ecosystem. There is so much to learn in nature and it's all utterly amazing ! Go on ,dive in !
October 20, 2025 at 11:50 PM
I'm currently investigating which 6mm species of freshwater flatworm swarms around my pond surface at night .
I need to know what it eats ,how it breeds , and where it fits into the pond ecosystem. There is so much to learn in nature and it's all utterly amazing ! Go on ,dive in !
I need to know what it eats ,how it breeds , and where it fits into the pond ecosystem. There is so much to learn in nature and it's all utterly amazing ! Go on ,dive in !
If we were the size of midges ,we would think ants and beetles were lions and tigers.
These scales cover the wings of moths . I yearn for a more powerful implement so that I can photograph rotifers, tardigrades and other aliens of the micro cosmos . My wildlife pond is just such a universe !
These scales cover the wings of moths . I yearn for a more powerful implement so that I can photograph rotifers, tardigrades and other aliens of the micro cosmos . My wildlife pond is just such a universe !
October 20, 2025 at 4:06 PM
If we were the size of midges ,we would think ants and beetles were lions and tigers.
These scales cover the wings of moths . I yearn for a more powerful implement so that I can photograph rotifers, tardigrades and other aliens of the micro cosmos . My wildlife pond is just such a universe !
These scales cover the wings of moths . I yearn for a more powerful implement so that I can photograph rotifers, tardigrades and other aliens of the micro cosmos . My wildlife pond is just such a universe !
Male sparrowhawk photographed from house in this morning's rain .
Sparrowhawks often pick a vantage point and just wait for prey to come to them .
Sparrowhawks often pick a vantage point and just wait for prey to come to them .
October 19, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Male sparrowhawk photographed from house in this morning's rain .
Sparrowhawks often pick a vantage point and just wait for prey to come to them .
Sparrowhawks often pick a vantage point and just wait for prey to come to them .
The stick at top of pics shows scale . Hard to believe these two belong to the same family (Mustelids) . In fact badger and weasel are the largest and smallest members of the family in UK . Other members include stoat ,polecat and otter . All very different .
October 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
The stick at top of pics shows scale . Hard to believe these two belong to the same family (Mustelids) . In fact badger and weasel are the largest and smallest members of the family in UK . Other members include stoat ,polecat and otter . All very different .
Noticed a millipede choosing a very risky hiding place tonight !
October 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Noticed a millipede choosing a very risky hiding place tonight !
Pink Barred Sallow from the garden last night . A true Autumn moth ,they fly September-October . The caterpillars when young live inside willow catkins
September 12, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Pink Barred Sallow from the garden last night . A true Autumn moth ,they fly September-October . The caterpillars when young live inside willow catkins
I do love meeting a species new to me .
Adonis Ladybird at Thorntonloch today .
Very few local records
Adonis Ladybird at Thorntonloch today .
Very few local records
September 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I do love meeting a species new to me .
Adonis Ladybird at Thorntonloch today .
Very few local records
Adonis Ladybird at Thorntonloch today .
Very few local records
Thought I had seen my last Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year ,given the season and wind . Surprised to see one in the garden today . Excuse the photos ,both the moth and the valerian were blowing all over the place !
September 7, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Thought I had seen my last Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year ,given the season and wind . Surprised to see one in the garden today . Excuse the photos ,both the moth and the valerian were blowing all over the place !
Stoat with unusual face pattern . Although some stoats turn white in winter , in our area it is much more common to see partially white ones . Some like this one only develop white marks on their faces . Some even retain these recognisable face marks all year .
September 3, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Stoat with unusual face pattern . Although some stoats turn white in winter , in our area it is much more common to see partially white ones . Some like this one only develop white marks on their faces . Some even retain these recognisable face marks all year .
Weasel inspecting badger hole .
September 2, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Weasel inspecting badger hole .
Same time,different day
August 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Same time,different day
Some things you don't expect going down a badger hole !
August 29, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Some things you don't expect going down a badger hole !
Found a Barred Warbler opposite entrance to Thorntonloch Caravan Site today .
August 28, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Found a Barred Warbler opposite entrance to Thorntonloch Caravan Site today .
A female Melangyna umbellatarum in our wildlife garden on 24th August . Only 3rd record for East Lothian . Please photograph and id your hoverflies ,then submit to iRecord
August 26, 2025 at 8:10 PM
A female Melangyna umbellatarum in our wildlife garden on 24th August . Only 3rd record for East Lothian . Please photograph and id your hoverflies ,then submit to iRecord