Keith Balmer
@keithbalmer.bsky.social
Bedfordshire County Recorder for Butterflies http://bedsbutterflies.org.uk
UK insects, macro photography, UK wildlife conservation.
Volunteer with @wildlifebcn.bsky.social & https://www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk
https://keithbalmer.com/
UK insects, macro photography, UK wildlife conservation.
Volunteer with @wildlifebcn.bsky.social & https://www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk
https://keithbalmer.com/
Did my 24th, and final, walk of the year today. Missed one July walk due to eye surgery. Here's my summary for the Old Warden Tunnel transect.
September 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Did my 24th, and final, walk of the year today. Missed one July walk due to eye surgery. Here's my summary for the Old Warden Tunnel transect.
In the winter I sowed 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘮 (Snapdragons) specifically to try to attract 𝘋𝘪𝘤𝘺𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘦. On 30th June I beat one, and today found two by direct inspection. @willgeorge.bsky.social has confirmed as a new species for Bedfordshire.
July 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
In the winter I sowed 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘮 (Snapdragons) specifically to try to attract 𝘋𝘪𝘤𝘺𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘦. On 30th June I beat one, and today found two by direct inspection. @willgeorge.bsky.social has confirmed as a new species for Bedfordshire.
One of the female 𝘏𝘢𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘢 𝘴𝘱. (Clegs) chewing into the back of my left hand. Chose photography over pain relief - I hope you appreciate that!
June 5, 2025 at 11:56 AM
One of the female 𝘏𝘢𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘢 𝘴𝘱. (Clegs) chewing into the back of my left hand. Chose photography over pain relief - I hope you appreciate that!
They look like round holes about 5mm diameter. If the larva sees you coming they drop down inside, but will creep back up if you wait patiently. I find them on footpaths where the sand is compacted.
June 1, 2025 at 9:12 PM
They look like round holes about 5mm diameter. If the larva sees you coming they drop down inside, but will creep back up if you wait patiently. I find them on footpaths where the sand is compacted.
Yesterday I heard of the existence of the rare weevil 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘪 so went looking for it this afternoon. May have found it after 20 minutes, unless I have the wrong ID of course! Can anyone confirm please?
June 1, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Yesterday I heard of the existence of the rare weevil 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘪 so went looking for it this afternoon. May have found it after 20 minutes, unless I have the wrong ID of course! Can anyone confirm please?
Is there on online set of reference photos for Ephemeroptera imagos and sub-imagos? I'd like to check my tentative IDs. (e.g. is this a male Centroptilum luteolum?). iRecord seems the best I've found so far, but wondered if someone had a gallery somewhere...?
May 12, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Is there on online set of reference photos for Ephemeroptera imagos and sub-imagos? I'd like to check my tentative IDs. (e.g. is this a male Centroptilum luteolum?). iRecord seems the best I've found so far, but wondered if someone had a gallery somewhere...?
I always enjoy the challenge of trying to photograph Green Tiger Beetles, 𝘊𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴. Here's my first attempt of the year, on Bedfordshire heathland.
March 31, 2025 at 4:32 PM
I always enjoy the challenge of trying to photograph Green Tiger Beetles, 𝘊𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴. Here's my first attempt of the year, on Bedfordshire heathland.
Here's an example of the camouflage in action. Its spot detracts from the disguise on this occasion.
March 25, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Here's an example of the camouflage in action. Its spot detracts from the disguise on this occasion.
The first UK record for 2025 in iRecord of 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘴, Bordered Shieldbug, found today under some fallen bark.
March 24, 2025 at 10:15 PM
The first UK record for 2025 in iRecord of 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘴, Bordered Shieldbug, found today under some fallen bark.
Taking a stacked photo while this female 𝘌𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘹 was clearing her front legs has produced an interesting result!
March 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Taking a stacked photo while this female 𝘌𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘹 was clearing her front legs has produced an interesting result!
Seven species of butterfly have been reported so far in 2025 in Bedfordshire. Small White and Large White are the only "hatchings" so far, the others were overwintered adults. The interactive iMap can be interrogated at www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...
March 23, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Seven species of butterfly have been reported so far in 2025 in Bedfordshire. Small White and Large White are the only "hatchings" so far, the others were overwintered adults. The interactive iMap can be interrogated at www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...
𝘓𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 larvae grazing together on lichen and using it within their protective case.
March 22, 2025 at 6:48 PM
𝘓𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 larvae grazing together on lichen and using it within their protective case.
Delighted to find my first Small Tortoiseshell of 2025 today, near Bedford. Let's hope it can found another one as they are so scarce these days.
March 22, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Delighted to find my first Small Tortoiseshell of 2025 today, near Bedford. Let's hope it can found another one as they are so scarce these days.
"It's dark down here, has anyone got a light?"
March 9, 2025 at 6:07 PM
"It's dark down here, has anyone got a light?"
Rummaging around under dead wood today I found a pseudoscorpion, 𝘊𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴, and a larva of a glow-worm 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘢.
March 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Rummaging around under dead wood today I found a pseudoscorpion, 𝘊𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴, and a larva of a glow-worm 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘢.
Butterfly reports pouring in for today in Bedfordshire. 20 so far...
iMap (www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...) has been updated with all this year's records from online sources.
iMap (www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...) has been updated with all this year's records from online sources.
March 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Butterfly reports pouring in for today in Bedfordshire. 20 so far...
iMap (www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...) has been updated with all this year's records from online sources.
iMap (www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...) has been updated with all this year's records from online sources.
Three Commas seen this afternoon, all successfully survived the rigours of winter pretending to be dead leaves.
March 3, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Three Commas seen this afternoon, all successfully survived the rigours of winter pretending to be dead leaves.
On the first day of meteorological spring, my first butterfly of 2025, a Peacock, recently emerged from hibernation.
March 1, 2025 at 5:44 PM
On the first day of meteorological spring, my first butterfly of 2025, a Peacock, recently emerged from hibernation.
"Big Bud" gall on Hazel caused by the mite 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘦. Easy to spot on the terminal buds of affected Hazel branches.
February 25, 2025 at 5:39 PM
"Big Bud" gall on Hazel caused by the mite 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘦. Easy to spot on the terminal buds of affected Hazel branches.
Found this Ringlet(?) larva in an autumn-cut haystack on a nature reserve today. I was just curious to see what inverts might be in the stack. Need to investigate further when there isn't a cold wind blowing right through me...
February 23, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Found this Ringlet(?) larva in an autumn-cut haystack on a nature reserve today. I was just curious to see what inverts might be in the stack. Need to investigate further when there isn't a cold wind blowing right through me...
Our "whites" had a relatively poor second brood, but they had an extra peak as a result of a third brood and/or migration, which brought up the year's totals. Here's Large White's weekly counts.
February 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Our "whites" had a relatively poor second brood, but they had an extra peak as a result of a third brood and/or migration, which brought up the year's totals. Here's Large White's weekly counts.
I thought a chart derived from an analysis of records might help me to understand the 2024 butterfly season in Bedfordshire. #Bedfordshire #butterflies
February 19, 2025 at 10:23 AM
I thought a chart derived from an analysis of records might help me to understand the 2024 butterfly season in Bedfordshire. #Bedfordshire #butterflies
This web was showing well in today's mist. I remembered seeing a drawing in Richard Lewington's new "Pocket Guide to British Spiders" of a web with a missing segment and thought, thanks Richard, I may now know what made it! Hope you don't mind the extract @rlewington2.bsky.social?
February 6, 2025 at 12:46 PM
This web was showing well in today's mist. I remembered seeing a drawing in Richard Lewington's new "Pocket Guide to British Spiders" of a web with a missing segment and thought, thanks Richard, I may now know what made it! Hope you don't mind the extract @rlewington2.bsky.social?
The rise and fall of 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 (𝘈𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘦). Here are its weekly totals in each 10K records (of all species) for each of the last 25 years in Bedfordshire. Note how the second brood is very variable, as is total abundance. 2024 was dire.
January 12, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The rise and fall of 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 (𝘈𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘦). Here are its weekly totals in each 10K records (of all species) for each of the last 25 years in Bedfordshire. Note how the second brood is very variable, as is total abundance. 2024 was dire.
A winter-active 𝘉𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴 on my 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘢 in Bedford today (2nd Jan 25).
January 2, 2025 at 12:53 PM
A winter-active 𝘉𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴 on my 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘢 in Bedford today (2nd Jan 25).